DEAR COLLEAGUE IN CONNECTION WITH TODAY'S WHITE HOUSE MEETING

Letter

Dear Colleague,

I write to update you following today's White House meeting between President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Congressional leaders. To begin with, I want to thank President Biden for his tremendous leadership and for convening us to discuss the pressing issues currently facing the American people.

Throughout this Congress, House Democrats have repeatedly demonstrated that we will work with our Republican colleagues in a bipartisan way to solve problems for hardworking American taxpayers. In this regard, we provided the votes necessary to avoid a catastrophic default on our debt, keep the government open to meet the needs of the American people, secure disaster relief for communities devastated by extreme weather events, pass the National Defense Authorization Act and improve the tax code. At the same time, House Democrats have repeatedly made clear that we will push back against right-wing extremism whenever necessary.

As Congress comes back into session tomorrow, we continue to offer our Republican colleagues a bipartisan path forward.

First, the comprehensive national security legislation advanced by the Senate on a bipartisan basis should be brought to the floor for an up or down vote. It is critically important that we support our Democratic allies in Israel, Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific, while providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza and others in war zones throughout the world. House Democrats will always put America's national security interests first. We call upon our Republican colleagues to join us and abandon the growing Pro-Putin wing of their party.

Second, we must fund the government in a common sense manner so that we can continue to meet the needs of the American people in terms of their health, safety and economic well-being. Under the principled leadership of Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro, negotiations have been moving forward at a steady pace and in a manner consistent with our values. As we swiftly approach the March 1 deadline, there are a few outstanding issues that remain unresolved. However, we continue to maintain that extreme, partisan policy riders have no place in a bipartisan spending agreement. Under no circumstances is a partial or complete government shutdown acceptable. We are ready to work around the clock to avoid one.

Third, it is time for House Republicans to get serious about addressing the challenges we confront at the border and stop the political stunts. We are prepared to fix our broken immigration system in a bipartisan, comprehensive manner that substantially enhances security at the Southern border and provides legal pathways for Dreamers, farmworkers and other immigrants who are ready to contribute to America's economic growth. Under the leadership of President Biden, Democrats and Republicans can find a way to come together to solve the border issue in a responsible manner.

Thank you for your continued leadership and advocacy at this pivotal time. We will continue to put people over politics.

Sincerely,

Hakeem Jeffries

Democratic Leader

Source