Photo: U.S. government (public domain). Hakeem Jeffries speaks on the opening day of the 118th Congress.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries promised an affordability push and declared “America is back” as he celebrated his party’s victory in the House of Representatives early Wednesday, a win that puts him in position to become the first Black speaker of the House.
In remarks to supporters in Washington, Jeffries said Democrats would get to work as soon as they take control of Congress in January, with a focus on the cost of living, NPR reported. The Associated Press headline on its own report called Jeffries “poised to make history as the first Black speaker of the House.”
What Jeffries promised
The New York Democrat said his party would work to improve access to affordable housing, education, healthcare and retirement benefits.
“We’re going to fight to make sure that we make this country affordable for every single American,” Jeffries said. “This is a change election. And we understand as House Democrats we need to deliver dramatic change. Things are broken. We need a Congress that puts the American people first.”
Jeffries said Democrats had to overcome a significant financial deficit because Republicans outspent them in races across the country. He said voters had sent a message that they are not for sale, and he promised action on corruption in Washington.
“We’re going to bring accountability to those who have visited unprecedented corruption on this country,” he said. “Because if you have people in high office who are so focused on enriching themselves, their family members, their friends or their donors, then they are not focused on making life better for the American people.”
What “poised” means
Jeffries is not speaker yet. Democrats are expected to choose their leaders in internal elections the week of November 16, and the new House must then vote for a speaker when Congress opens in January. The job requires 218 votes, a majority of the full chamber. If he wins, Jeffries would become the country’s first Black House speaker and would stand second in the line of presidential succession, after the vice president.
The limits on his agenda
NPR noted that Democrats will face an uphill battle on their more ambitious plans. President Donald Trump remains in office and can veto any bill Congress passes, so big changes on affordability and other issues would still need his signature or votes from two-thirds of both chambers to override him.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, the Louisiana Republican who will hand over the gavel, told supporters in Shreveport that the “grand experiment” of democracy is not controlled by a king. He said Republicans knew from the start that keeping the House would mean defying more than a century of midterm history. “It’s very, very difficult to overcome and it looks like history will be kept tonight,” Johnson said.
JBizNews Desk | Washington
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