House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries Warns ‘Thousands Will Die’ If Trump’s Bill Passes

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned during his hours-long speech on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” will kill “tens of thousands” of Americans.

Since about 5 a.m., Jeffries has used a procedural rule known as the “magic minute” to give an ongoing speech lamenting the spending package. The House Minority leader warned that the legislation will strip people of their healthcare and Medicaid, which would allegedly leave them to “die.”

“Because of this assault on healthcare in the United States of America, people will die. Tens of thousands, perhaps year after year after year, as a result of the Republican assault on the healthcare of the American people,” Jeffries said. “I’m sad, I never thought I would be on the House floor saying that this is a crime scene! And House Democrats want no part of it.”

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The legislation intends to make changes to Medicaid by imposing work requirements on able-bodied adults younger than 65 and limiting state provider taxes, though the White House has repeatedly denied that there will be any cuts to the program. The White House said in a fact sheet that the spending package “protects and strengthens Medicaid,” along with improving the economy.

Jeffries’ “magic minute” has allowed him to speak with unlimited time so he could aggressively make the case against Trump’s bill, which he accused Republicans of attempting to shove “down the throats of the American people.” He lashed out at the bill’s intended tax cuts, the $100 billion in funding toward Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and border security and the changes to Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance.