
Jeffries: Moderate Republicans can join Dems to end deadlock
Clip: 10/12/2023 | 9m 27sVideo has Closed Captions
Jeffries encourages moderate Republicans to join Democrats and end House deadlock
As Republican infighting complicates the process of electing a new speaker, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York joined Geoff Bennett to discuss who Democrats would like to see holding the gavel and how it is affecting aid for Israel and Ukraine.
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Jeffries: Moderate Republicans can join Dems to end deadlock
Clip: 10/12/2023 | 9m 27sVideo has Closed Captions
As Republican infighting complicates the process of electing a new speaker, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York joined Geoff Bennett to discuss who Democrats would like to see holding the gavel and how it is affecting aid for Israel and Ukraine.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipIsrael and Ukraine and who Democrats# would like to see holding the gavel,## we're joined by House minority# Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
Leader Jeffries, welcome back to the "NewsHour."
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): Good# evening.
Great to be GEOFF BENNETT: The Israel-Hamas war is now aircraft carriers, fighter jets to# aid Israel after the Hamas attacks.
What additional U.S. assistance,# though, is being held up by the## infighting among House Republicans and the# resulting absence to have a Ho REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Under the# leadership of President Joe Biden,## the United States will continue to stand# Is rael's right to defend itself, until# Israel is able to defeat Hamas decisively,## and put the country and the region# on a path toward peace and stability.
I'm thankful for the leadership of President Biden# and what the administration has done to date,## using the authority that it currently has.
Over# the next week or so, it's my expectation that an# additional supplemental appropriations request# will be sent to the Congress for us to consider.
And that's why it's so urgently necessary that# the Republicans get their act together and elect## the speaker from within their own ranks, as it is# the responsibility of the majority party to do,## or have traditional Republicans break# with the extremists within the House## Republican Conference and partner with# Democrats on a bipartisan path forward.
We are ready, willing and able to# do so.
I know there are traditional## Republicans who are good women and men# who want to see government function,## but they are unable to do it within the ranks# of their own conference, which is dominated by## the extremist wing.
And that's why we continue# to extend the hand of bipartisanship to them.
GEOFF BENNETT: Extending Ukraine funding# is now a point of contention among House## Republicans.
Do you support the idea,# as is being discussed, of linking aid# to Israel with extended Ukraine funding as# a strategy to have put both priorities pass?
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Well, I think# it's important for the Congress to## meet the needs of the American people# in That involves ensuring that we are providing# the state of Israel with the support that it## needs to defeat Hamas and stabilize the# situation in the region.
But it also## means that we should stand by the Ukrainian# people in their courageous effort to defeat## Russian aggression in Europe, the largest# conflict in Europe since World War II.
There are also some other national# security priorities that may be## important in an increasingly dangerous# world that may be part of the requests## that the administration submits.
And so# we're taking a wait-and-see approach until## the administration actually sends# up the specifics of the requests.
But I do think, Geoff, that# it should be comprehensive,## which would include aid to Israel, aid to# Ukraine, and aid to other allies w free world to make sure that we are meeting the# national security needs of the American people.
GEOFF BENNETT: Let's talk about this# race to elect a new House speaker.
Even though Congressman Steve Scalise# defeated Congressman J the Republican nomination to# be speaker.
He does not have## the 217 votes that he would need of# the full House to be to be electe Still, though, is Steve Scalise someone who# Democrats could work with?
And is there any## scenario under which Democrats would supply# him the votes that he needs to be elected?
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES: I have had a positive# working relationship with Steve Scalise throughout## the years.
He is obviously he's very conservative# and we have different values in terms of w we believe is right for the health and safety,# the economic well-being of the American people.
But this is an issue right now for# the Republicans to work out.
It is## the responsibility of the Republican majority# to identify a speaker wh under the current number of people who are# in the House, or hold and maintain 217.
And## over the last week or so, the Republican# majority has been unable to do either.
And that's why we continue to# offer a bipartisan path forward,## so we can restructure the rules of the House# to enable commonsense bipartisan legislation## that has strong support from Democrats and# Republicans to receive up-or-down votes without## being blocked by the extreme MAGA Republican# wing of the House Republican Conference.
There is a real path and a# real opportunity to be serious,## to be substantive, to be sober in meeting# the needs of the American people and our## allies like Israel and Ukraine across# the world.
But we just need traditional## Republicans to break from their extremist# wing and join us in a bipartisan coalition.
GEOFF BENNETT: When you talk# about this bipartisan path,## are you talking about the fact# that you w House Republicans to join with the 212# Democrats and elect you House speaker?
And we should say there are 18 Republican# members who are -- who have been elected## from districts that Joe Biden# won?
Is that we are speaking of?
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES: No,# because, from the very beginning,## we have said this should n individual's aspirations to lead either# House Democrats or House Republicans.
This is about what is good for the American# people, not as Democrats or Republicans,## but as Americans.
That's why, at this moment,# we have got to find a way to come together,## restructure the House in a bipartisan# way, designed to allow for commonsense## things to come to the floor, receive an# up-or-down vote, for us to be able to## actually move legislation that emerges from# the Senate that is bipartisan in nature.
And Leader Schumer has done a tremendous# job in working with Leader McConnell in## that regard.
And we want to# get the House back on track,## function.
And we can figure out a way to do# it.
We are inherently reasonable about what## we think can occur.
But we just require# Republican partners in order to do it.
GEOFF BENNETT: Practically,# though, how would this work?
So there would be a Republican Hous more committee memberships, they'd have a greater# say in how the functions of the floo REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Well, the details need to be## negotiated in a good-faith fashio But, first, we need Republicans# to agree on the principle.
And## there are only two options here.# The House can either continue to## be driven by the most extreme members of# the Republican Conference, or we can alt the legislative landscape in a structured# way to facilitate bipartisan cooperation.
I'm hopeful that my traditional Republican# colleagues who are interested in governance,## who care about the institution of the# people's house are willing to sit down## and talk with us about finding an enlightened# path and agreement that allows us to do the## business of the American people and solve# problems for hardworking American taxpayers.
GEOFF BENNETT: In the absence# of that, as you well know,## House paralysis will reach a tipping We have this November 17 government# shutdown deadline.
Is there a path forward?
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES: I think there# is a path forward, because the matters## that will be before us over the next# few weeks are incredibly pressing.
We have to provide full funding for the# government so we can meet the needs of the## American people and, of course, address our# national security considerations and stand## by our close friend and ally Israel during this# urgent time of need, after it has been brutally,## unspeakably attacked by Hamas, an incredible# terror visited upon the Israeli people in the## most horrific way possible, and to make# sure we can continue to stand with the## Ukrainian people in their battle against# Vladimir Putin and Russian aggression.
These are urgent matters that require immediate# attention.
The Senate is out on recess this week,## but they will be back next week.
And# our hope is to have a fully functional## House of Representatives as well so# that we can meet the requests that## come forth by President Biden, who's# done -- who is doing an incredible## job at this very fragile moment# in America and across the globe.
GEOFF BENNETT: Democratic Leader# Hakeem Jeffries of New York,## thanks again for your time this evening.
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Thank you.
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Clip: 10/12/2023 | 6m 48s | People in Gaza describe living through bombings with no way to escape (6m 48s)
Scalise fails to secure votes, drops out of speaker race
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 10/12/2023 | 4m 35s | Scalise withdraws from speaker race, sending GOP search for leader into further chaos (4m 35s)
Scalise slips further from speakership amid GOP division
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Clip: 10/12/2023 | 5m 11s | Scalise slips further away from speakership as House Republicans remain deeply divided (5m 11s)
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