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Jeffries and Booker Lead Capitol Sit-In Against GOP Budget Cuts

Democratic leaders protest proposed Medicaid and social program reductions tied to tax breaks for the wealthy, urging public engagement as Congress returns to session.

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 Senator Cory Booker began a livestreamed sit-in on the Capitol steps early Sunday morning to oppose the Republican budget plan.
  • The protest, titled 'An Urgent Conversation with the American People,' highlights proposed cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, and other safety nets to fund tax breaks for billionaires.
  • Jeffries and Booker framed the budget fight as a 'moral urgency,' emphasizing the potential harm to vulnerable populations, including seniors, children, and low-income families.
  • Several Democratic lawmakers, activists, and faith leaders joined the sit-in, sharing personal stories and calling for public action against the proposed cuts.
  • Republicans aim to pass the budget using reconciliation, bypassing Democratic input, with a goal of finalizing the legislation by Memorial Day.