Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined Dana Bash on CNN's State of the Union where he emphasized that the United States will continue to stand with the people of Israel in the wake of the deadly terrorist attacks. He also highlighted that House Democrats remain ready, willing and able to find a bipartisan path forward so that the Congress can get back to the business of the people.
DANA BASH: Joining me now is Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, the Democratic Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives. Thank you so much for joining me this morning, sir. First question is what you have been told, your information. I know you were briefed about the situation going on in Israel.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well it's a very heartbreaking situation, a tragic situation. We mourn for the loss of life that has taken place and for those Israelis who are currently being held hostage either in southern Israel or in Gaza. I had a conversation with the White House as well as the National Security Council yesterday. The most important thing that needs to be said is that the United States will continue to stand strongly behind Israel. America's bond with Israel is unshakeable and unbreakable. We have stood strongly behind Israel during its first 75 years. We will stand strongly behind Israel for the next 75 years and beyond.
DANA BASH: You are part of what's known as the Gang of Eight, and this is the top eight leaders in the House and the Senate who get very sensitive intelligence information. Was there any indication that any of this was on the horizon or even a possibility, this kind of terror attack inside Israel?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well that remains to be seen. We have not had a Gang of Eight briefing yet as we've been scattered throughout the country. I do anticipate that we'll have an opportunity to have a secure briefing at some point next week. But our commitment to Israel's security is ironclad. The most important thing that can take place right now is that we make sure Israel has all of the resources that it needs to secure the situation on the ground to bring about a more amenable, permanent security situation within the region and, of course, to rescue the hostages that are in place. I'm confident that at some point down the road, the Israeli officials will undertake a complete analysis of what happened, why it happened, how you prevent this type of security situation from ever happening again.
DANA BASH: The Biden administration is now mulling asking you in Congress for additional aid and support for Israel. It sounds like what you're saying is that you would very much support that. How much and in what form should additional U.S. support take?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It's my understanding that there are some things that the Biden administration has the ability to do on its own without coming to Congress. And I certainly urge the administration and expect that it will provide whatever assistance it can to Israel and to the IDF at this moment in time, short of congressional action. There will likely be a need for some additional appropriations with respect to Iron Dome, David's Arrow, David's Sling, some of Israel's defense systems that perhaps will need to be bolstered given the likelihood of a prolonged engagement that is going to take place in the region. And Congress should certainly be prepared to do that sooner rather than later.
DANA BASH: I don't need to tell you that the United States does not currently have a Speaker of the House right now. A moment of global peril. The U.S. House is frozen and can't respond until that happens. How big of a problem is this for America and globally?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It's my hope that our Republican colleagues get their act together, can settle on a Speaker who can receive 217 votes and that we can move forward to get the business of the American people done, both as it relates to our domestic needs, solve problems on behalf of the American people, as well as our national security considerations in terms of being there for Israel, being there for the Ukrainian people, being there for our allies all throughout the free world. Now, to the extent that my Republican colleagues are unable to resolve the ongoing Republican Civil War, we've made clear as Democrats that we are ready, willing and able to find common ground to enter into a bipartisan path forward so we can govern the House in an enlightened fashion that ensures that bipartisan priorities that have significant support from Democrats and Republicans in the House can receive an up or down vote so that we can move forward and get things done for the American people, as opposed to allowing the extremists within the House Republican Conference to continue to dominate the agenda.
DANA BASH: And you're talking about doing that even if there is no formal Speaker, meaning even if the temporary Speaker, Patrick McHenry, is still in the chair?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well we'll be back in Washington on Tuesday or Wednesday. And we have said from the very beginning of this Congress, as House Democrats, we are willing to find common ground with our Republican colleagues in a bipartisan way whenever and wherever possible, and we repeatedly demonstrated our willingness to do it. Democrats provided a majority of the votes necessary to avoid a catastrophic default on our debt that would have crashed the economy. Democrats provided the majority of the votes necessary to avoid a government default and make a shutdown and make sure that we were able to fund the government in a way that addressed the health, the safety, the economic well-being of the American people. And so we're ready, willing and able to continue to find that bipartisan path forward under the current moment that we're in, so as we move forward if the Republicans are able to elect a Speaker.
DANA BASH: You published an op-ed this past week stating just that. Just really quickly, are you having conversations with moderate Republicans about how to achieve what you just said?
LEADER JEFFRIES: I have not had a conversation over the last day or so with my Republican counterparts in leadership. There are ongoing discussions that I believe are taking place between Democrats and Republicans at different levels across the House Democratic Caucus and the House Republican Conference. Those are conversations that hopefully will bear some fruit. At some point, I'll have the opportunity to speak to my Republican counterparts in leadership. And we are there, we are ready, we are willing, we are able to find the common ground necessary to solve problems on behalf of hard working American taxpayers, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans.
DANA BASH: Leader Jeffries, President— former President Trump endorsed Jim Jordan for Speaker. Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney said, quote, 'If the Republicans decide that Jim Jordan should be Speaker of the House, there would be no— there would no longer be any possible way to argue that a group of elected Republicans could be counted on to defend the Constitution.' Do you think Jim Jordan is fit to be Speaker?
LEADER JEFFRIES: That's not my job at this moment to weigh into the politics that are taking place in the House Republican Conference, other than to make clear that it's time for the GOP to end the Republican Civil War in order for us to be able to come together in an enlightened and bipartisan way to get things done for everyday Americans.
DANA BASH: Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Democratic Leader in the House of Representatives. I really appreciate you coming on this morning.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you.
