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5h ago

Democrats Stage Capitol Sit-In to Oppose GOP Budget Cuts to Social Programs

Hakeem Jeffries and Cory Booker, joined by other lawmakers, protest proposed $880 billion cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, framing the debate as a moral imperative.

From left, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Maya Wiley, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., conduct a live-streamed conversation with Americans focused on "our common values, our faith traditions and the moral moment facing our nation," on the House steps of the U.S. Capitol on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
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From left, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Rev. Dr. William Barber, and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., on the House steps of the U.S. Capitol on April 27, 2025.

Overview

  • House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Cory Booker began a livestreamed sit-in on the Capitol steps early Sunday morning to protest the Republican budget plan.
  • The proposed GOP budget includes $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid and Medicare over the next decade, alongside reductions to food assistance and other safety-net programs.
  • Jeffries and Booker emphasized the moral stakes of the budget fight, calling it a critical moment for protecting vulnerable populations and shared American values.
  • The sit-in, titled 'An Urgent Conversation with the American People,' invited public participation and personal stories to highlight the potential human impact of the cuts.
  • Democratic lawmakers, including Sens. Chris Coons and Angela Alsobrooks and Rep. Andre Carson, joined the protest, urging public pressure to sway Republican votes ahead of the bill's advancement.