WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) joined CNN's The Situation Room to discuss the devastating impact of Republicans' Big, Ugly Law and their rescissions package. Below are excerpts from her interview:
On Republicans' Rescission Package:
"I cannot make sense of this split screen that we are seeing. This administration and the GOP Members in Congress continue to cut programs that are important to Americans who are trying to fight the high cost of living, that want to be able to send their kids to good public schools, that want to see a continuation of veterans' benefits. And then they are looking at these cuts that aren't done surgically. They are done with just broad strokes to have an impact.
"But at the same time, they are raising taxes and skyrocketing our national debt.
"So our message to the Republicans and to people at home is, let's get back to working for them. Let's get back to making sure that we are cutting the high cost of living. That we're giving people a chance at the American Dream.
"What we see in this rescissions package, after the horrors of the floods in Texas, are cuts to PBS. That is often the only place that people can get emergency notifications in rural parts of this country. So what are they doing? And what are they thinking with continuing these cuts that just don't add up for families at home?"
On the Big, Ugly Law’s Fallout for Working Americans:
"The tax cuts that we are seeing are very aimed at the wealthiest Americans. They will receive the lion's share of that tax relief, and that's permanent.
"The hardworking people who are looking for relief that they deserve, we join them as Democrats in saying, 'Let's make our tax code work for people who are working.'
"So we would love to be engaging with Republicans on building a tax code that is fair and that works for working people. But that's not what we're seeing.
"We're seeing a GOP that is committed to working for the elites in this country, full stop.
"While they're taking away health care from 17 million Americans. While we are seeing back-to-school for families look like a nightmare. We're going to see high costs of clothes and shoes from tariff policies. We're going to see kids going to school — half of America’s children are on Medicaid. This will be the last full school year they have health insurance coverage […] You can't take $1 trillion out of health care and say that the kids are going to be all right. Never mind the mental health supports that our kids need.
"All of this while they are undercutting the Department of Education and even holding on and taking away funding that had already been allocated to afterschool programs.
"The message to families at home is so clear: You are on your own."
On Whether Democrats Will Continue Calling for the Release of the Epstein Files:
"Frankly, our first and foremost priority is going to be affordability and making sure that we are allowing Americans to be able to afford the American Dream, whether that's housing, reducing the cost of child care, reducing the cost of health care. But we are always committed to transparency.
"And this whole scandal with Epstein that we have been seeing for the last week is solely caused by the 180 that Donald Trump did.
"He campaigned that he was going to release this. He had a big moment where he gave these binders to influencers and said they're going to be given the secrets of the files. And now, all of a sudden, they're saying, 'We don't have any of that. We think this is some sort of Democratic hoax'?
"I think the whole trip to Alcatraz today is to change the topic, change the channel.
"So let's have transparency. We're always for that. Let's put the truth before the American people."
On Democrats and 2026:
"Democrats are absolutely focused on making sure that families at home know who's fighting for them.
"The other polls that we are watching are the Big, Ugly Bill — this landmark bill that was Donald Trump's, you know, legacy piece, signature piece of legislation is wildly unpopular. And we are going to continue to go around the country — not just to blue spots, Democratic places — but to places like rural Mississippi, where I was recently talking about the impact when we close 300 rural hospitals in that country, what it will mean to people for access to health care for them when we're looking at a quarter of all nursing homes closing. We're talking about people having to bring their aging parents back into their homes to provide the care they need. When 60% of households are telling us they're not making it.
"This is our message to the American people: We see what you're going through and we are going to work, if we win the majority back, every single day to make sure that you can get to that first rung of the American Dream, and that you can have people who are working for solutions.
"What we've seen from this administration and this majority is they are making life more expensive for people. They are going to make them sicker, and it is taking away benefits from people who so deserve it, like our children and our veterans. It is upside down for the American people, and Democrats are committed to righting that ship."
On Republicans' Rescission Package:
"I cannot make sense of this split screen that we are seeing. This administration and the GOP Members in Congress continue to cut programs that are important to Americans who are trying to fight the high cost of living, that want to be able to send their kids to good public schools, that want to see a continuation of veterans' benefits. And then they are looking at these cuts that aren't done surgically. They are done with just broad strokes to have an impact.
"But at the same time, they are raising taxes and skyrocketing our national debt.
"So our message to the Republicans and to people at home is, let's get back to working for them. Let's get back to making sure that we are cutting the high cost of living. That we're giving people a chance at the American Dream.
"What we see in this rescissions package, after the horrors of the floods in Texas, are cuts to PBS. That is often the only place that people can get emergency notifications in rural parts of this country. So what are they doing? And what are they thinking with continuing these cuts that just don't add up for families at home?"
On the Big, Ugly Law’s Fallout for Working Americans:
"The tax cuts that we are seeing are very aimed at the wealthiest Americans. They will receive the lion's share of that tax relief, and that's permanent.
"The hardworking people who are looking for relief that they deserve, we join them as Democrats in saying, 'Let's make our tax code work for people who are working.'
"So we would love to be engaging with Republicans on building a tax code that is fair and that works for working people. But that's not what we're seeing.
"We're seeing a GOP that is committed to working for the elites in this country, full stop.
"While they're taking away health care from 17 million Americans. While we are seeing back-to-school for families look like a nightmare. We're going to see high costs of clothes and shoes from tariff policies. We're going to see kids going to school — half of America’s children are on Medicaid. This will be the last full school year they have health insurance coverage […] You can't take $1 trillion out of health care and say that the kids are going to be all right. Never mind the mental health supports that our kids need.
"All of this while they are undercutting the Department of Education and even holding on and taking away funding that had already been allocated to afterschool programs.
"The message to families at home is so clear: You are on your own."
On Whether Democrats Will Continue Calling for the Release of the Epstein Files:
"Frankly, our first and foremost priority is going to be affordability and making sure that we are allowing Americans to be able to afford the American Dream, whether that's housing, reducing the cost of child care, reducing the cost of health care. But we are always committed to transparency.
"And this whole scandal with Epstein that we have been seeing for the last week is solely caused by the 180 that Donald Trump did.
"He campaigned that he was going to release this. He had a big moment where he gave these binders to influencers and said they're going to be given the secrets of the files. And now, all of a sudden, they're saying, 'We don't have any of that. We think this is some sort of Democratic hoax'?
"I think the whole trip to Alcatraz today is to change the topic, change the channel.
"So let's have transparency. We're always for that. Let's put the truth before the American people."
On Democrats and 2026:
"Democrats are absolutely focused on making sure that families at home know who's fighting for them.
"The other polls that we are watching are the Big, Ugly Bill — this landmark bill that was Donald Trump's, you know, legacy piece, signature piece of legislation is wildly unpopular. And we are going to continue to go around the country — not just to blue spots, Democratic places — but to places like rural Mississippi, where I was recently talking about the impact when we close 300 rural hospitals in that country, what it will mean to people for access to health care for them when we're looking at a quarter of all nursing homes closing. We're talking about people having to bring their aging parents back into their homes to provide the care they need. When 60% of households are telling us they're not making it.
"This is our message to the American people: We see what you're going through and we are going to work, if we win the majority back, every single day to make sure that you can get to that first rung of the American Dream, and that you can have people who are working for solutions.
"What we've seen from this administration and this majority is they are making life more expensive for people. They are going to make them sicker, and it is taking away benefits from people who so deserve it, like our children and our veterans. It is upside down for the American people, and Democrats are committed to righting that ship."
To view the complete interview, click HERE. |
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