The next is a transcript of an interview with Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries that aired on “Face the Nation” on Could 28, 2023.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Home Democratic Chief Hakeem Jeffries joins us now from his district in Brooklyn. Good morning to you. Let’s get straight to it, are you able to ship a majority of Democrats?
DEMOCRATIC LEADER REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Effectively, good morning Margaret. I do look ahead to the White Home briefing that is going to happen afterward this afternoon with the Home Democratic Caucus. We’ll be capable to have a strong dialogue, however let me say this, President Biden has delivered a end result that avoids a catastrophic default, that forestalls us from- our financial system crashing and stops the intense MAGA Republicans from triggering a job killing recession, which as we have seen during the last week or two more and more appeared to have been a place that they had been taking for political causes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, properly, we’ll solely keep away from a default if you may get the votes to get it by. Speaker McCarthy predicted this morning he can get a majority of Republicans he says some Democrats he thinks will vote for it. However he additionally quoted one thing he says You informed him. Hear.
SPEAKER REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY/ FOX NEWS/ SOUND ON TAPE:
I believe there’s gonna be a variety of Democrats who vote for it too. Proper now, the Democrats are very upset. However one factor Hakeem informed me, there’s nothing within the invoice for them. There’s not one factor within the invoice for Democrats.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Did you say that? And the way do you persuade Democrats?
REP. JEFFRIES: I do not know what he is speaking about, notably as a result of I’ve not been in a position to assessment the precise legislative textual content, all that we have reached is an settlement in precept. Now what I’ve constantly mentioned each privately and –
MARGARET BRENNAN: Did you even speak to him?Â
REP. JEFFRIES: I talked to him yesterday afternoon, however I have never talked to him since that time limit. What I’ve constantly mentioned, nonetheless, privately and publicly was that the intense MAGA Republican negotiating place, and that the intense invoice that they handed on April twenty sixth, the Default on America Act contained nothing that was in keeping with Democratic values or American values. And it was unreasonable to assume that that negotiating place was going to have the ability to end in a decision that might make sense for the American folks when he understood and everybody understood {that a} bipartisan decision was the one manner ahead to keep away from a catastrophic default.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, and that is a invoice that’s going nowhere. When it comes to the one which was or is being written as we communicate. The top of the Progressive Caucus Pramila Jayapal mentioned on CNN this morning, it’s good to fear in regards to the left flank of the celebration. She has 102 members in that caucus. What number of Democratic defections do you anticipate?
REP. JEFFRIES:Â
Effectively, I’ve had a number of conversations with Pramila Jayapal during the last a number of days and can proceed to take action. I anticipate that she’ll be a part of the caucus briefing that takes place afterward at present. This is what I can say, is that the settlement that was reached in precept by President Biden does a number of essential issues. Along with avoiding a devastating default that might harm on a regular basis People. It protects Social Safety. It protects Medicare, it protects Medicaid. It protects veterans. It protects the American folks.
[CROSSTALK]
MARGARET BRENNAN: She’s involved about environmental – environmental coverage modifications and meals stamps.
REP: JEFFRIES: Maintain on, I will get to that. It protects the American folks from the kinds of devastating spending cuts that had been proposed by Republicans of their Default on America Act. These are extremely vital steps ahead. Now when it comes to the allowing problem, I have never had the chance, nor have any of us had the chance to assessment what the proposed language might in the end be, when it comes to the allowing state of affairs. When it comes to SNAP as I perceive it, and once more, we’ll have the chance to assessment that language in a number of hours when it’s launched, however as I perceive it, it’ll really end in an growth of eligibility for folks like veterans and the homeless due to modifications made to exemptions because of what might be on this settlement, when it comes to the unique 1996 regulation that was handed.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, in line with the White Home it’ll chill out work necessities for veterans and homeless folks, but it surely nonetheless pushes up the age to 54 from 49. Are you implying, do you imply to say right here that the White Home hasn’t stored you absolutely briefed on the small print?
REP. JEFFRIES: The White Home has, after all, stored all of us absolutely briefed each step of the best way. Nevertheless, I do assume that because the White Home has indicated, that is solely an settlement in precept.Â
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper.
REP. JEFFRIES: There won’t be a remaining settlement till all of us are in a position to assessment the precise legislative textual content.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay. The White Home remains to be calling this a price range deal and a separate debt restrict improve, however McCarthy says it is a 150-page invoice and never a clear debt ceiling improve. Is only one vote, one invoice?
REP. JEFFRIES: Effectively, that continues to be to be seen, and in the end, that is a choice that Home Republicans have as their prerogative to make. I do hope and anticipate to see a big variety of Home Republicans voting for this settlement. It is my understanding that they’re dedicated to producing at the least 150 votes, if no more. They had been those who negotiated this settlement with the White Home. And I anticipate that they may present a big variety of votes to get it over the end line.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, so 150 Republicans, you want one thing within the vary of 70 Democrats? Do you assume you’d have that?
REP. JEFFRIES: Effectively, I do anticipate that there might be Democratic assist as soon as we’ve got the flexibility to truly be absolutely briefed by the White Home, however I am not gonna predict what these numbers might in the end seem like. We’ve got to undergo a course of in keeping with respecting each single member of the Home of Representatives and their capability to completely perceive the decision that has been reached.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay. Effectively, Jim Himes of Connecticut, not a progressive, mentioned this morning, if this vote fails, I believe we’ll see the form of market response that none of us wish to see. Are you able to ship a vote? Are you able to ship somebody like him? Are you able to ship a vote that wins on the primary attempt? He is speaking a few market crash.
REP. JEFFRIES: Effectively, we’ve got to after all, keep away from a market crash. We’ve got to keep away from tanking the financial system. We’ve got to keep away from a default. The rationale why we’re on this state of affairs from the very starting is that excessive MAGA Republicans made the willpower that they had been going to make use of the potential of default to carry the financial system and on a regular basis People hostage. Interval, full cease.
[CROSSTALK]
MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood however that’s- that is the place we’re proper now. And that negotiation occurred.
[CROSSTALK]
REP. JEFFRIES: That is proper.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You negotiated with them. So right here we’re.
REP. JEFFRIES:Â And that is why I am grateful that President Biden has reached a decision. And that is additionally why I am grateful that however the truth that they had been making an attempt to jam 10 yr spending caps down the throats of the American folks, we had been in a position to apparently match up a freeze in spending in keeping with 2023 levels- 2023 ranges, not the 2022 ranges, that is what they had been making an attempt to extract, and grateful that we prevented a catastrophic default.
[CROSSTALK]
MARGARET BRENNAN: There’s some disagreement on these however we do not have the textual content. So we are going to simply have to attend on that. However I wish to ask in regards to the backup plan. 213 Democrats voted for this discharge petition, this concept of with the ability to vote to raise the debt ceiling, even when Republicans- if the Republican chief would not do it. You’d want 5 Republicans. Are you able to try this? Are you able to assure folks that we are going to not see a default?
REP. JEFFRIES: Sure.Â
MARGARET BRENNAN: All proper. Hakeem Jeffries, glad to have you ever with us. Hopefully we see you right here in particular person subsequent time.
