NEW YORK, NY – Today, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) joined MS NOW's All In with Chris Hayes to discuss the affordability crisis and Republicans’ betrayal of working families. Below are excerpts from the conversation:
On the Affordability Crisis:
"I think the American people understand what they're feeling and that every time [Trump] says that cost of living, affordability, however he wants to put it, is a ‘hoax,’ it is not what their lived experience is telling them.
"He betrayed what he said he would do. 'I'm going to lower costs on Day One,' that was his promise. And ever since then, whether it's through tariffs, taking away health care in order to have tax cuts for very, very wealthy Americans, he has pushed prices higher and more out of reach.
"The American people are telling us loudly and clearly: 'We can't afford the quality of life.' And that's what Democrats are fighting for in the House. And this is what the challenge is going to be for [Republicans] as they go into the midterms in 2026."
On Republican Health Care Cuts:
"What we're seeing here is a corrupt bargain to take away money from Medicaid, from Medicare. To take away the tax credits from the Affordable Care Act that people depend on to curtail, and in some cases, end medical research in this country. All to rig our tax code more in favor of the very wealthy?
"We have seen nothing. There has been no work done to address this by the House [Republicans].
…
"And then you compound that with what we've seen from the impact of tariffs on, certainly on large business, but our small business communities, as I travel my district and the country, are just, they are so anxious about how they're going to move forward."
On Mike Johnson’s Betrayal of Women:
"Does this really surprise anybody? That Mike Johnson isn't a big champion of women? Whether in his own party and certainly not of American women. And we've seen that from positions, things he's stated and from the policies and the impact they're having.
"If we look at women in this country — not only reproductive freedom — but in one-third of all counties in this country, there is no doctor to have a baby with. And in states like Georgia, states that have abortion bans, it is even higher. It is about 50% of their counties. And as I travel to rural parts, it is insane.
"So what are we saying to women in America? We have this crisis in health care for women and maternal care that wasn't doing so well before the Trump administration and the House Republicans rolled into town with their cuts. We're also seeing that women-dominated professions like nurses and teachers and social workers and physical therapists — they're no longer considered professionals. And we're going to cap what you can loan to pursue that degree.
"I mean, we get it as women. We hear Mike Johnson quite clearly."
To view the complete conversation, click HERE.