The next is the transcript of an interview with Rep. Tom Suozzi, Democrat of New York, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on July 6, 2025.
WEIJIA JIANG: We flip now to New York Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi. Congressman, thanks a lot to your time this morning.
REP. TOM SUOZZI: Yeah, thanks a lot for having me.
WEIJIA JIANG: Effectively, you simply heard from Kevin Hassett- you recognize, like President Trump, he stated, with out this invoice, it could be one of many biggest tax hikes for the American public. They are saying it’s the biggest tax reduce in American historical past. You sit on the Methods and Means Committee, so I’ve to surprise the way you describe it.
REP. SUOZZI: I describe it as the massive, ugly invoice, not the ‘large, stunning invoice.’ It’ll do a whole lot of issues which might be going to harm lots of people in our nation. The largest one, which you talked about with Mr. Hassett, is improve the deficit enormously within the nation. And what that does, is that creates inflation, that retains rates of interest excessive, that makes it exhausting for folks to purchase properties, makes it exhausting for them to borrow cash, to do the issues that they need to do. As well as, it should knock a bunch of individuals off of well being care. We all know the Republicans have tried for a decade to undo the Inexpensive Care Act- Obamacare, and that is form of a backdoor solution to take medical insurance away from folks that basically want it essentially the most right here in our nation. And it should trigger medical insurance prices to go up for lots of people. One of many President’s greatest points he campaigned on was lowering costs quickly on day one, we’ll reduce the prices. Effectively, prices will not be taking place, inflation- inflation goes to be affected by this deficit. Rates of interest are going to remain excessive, and that is going to have a detrimental affect on medical insurance prices for many individuals in our nation.
WEIJIA JIANG: I do know that you simply simply introduced up Medicaid and potential lack of protection. What do you say to some Individuals who may surprise, nicely, why ought to the in a position bodied not should work with the intention to entry Medicaid?
REP. SUOZZI: Effectively, you must perceive that 92% of the folks which might be capable of work are at present working, and the 8% that aren’t are sometimes folks which might be caring for disabled youngsters. Keep in mind that two thirds of the folks in nursing properties are on Medicaid. One-tenth of all of the veterans in the US of America are on Medicaid. Medicaid is a lifeline for therefore many individuals which might be dealing with such tough circumstances that we won’t even presumably think about. And why would we be taking medical insurance and meals advantages away from a number of the most needy Individuals whereas we’re offering what I consider is an pointless tax break for a number of the wealthiest Individuals. It simply would not make sense that you simply’re lowering taxes for a number of the wealthiest folks, hurting a number of the lowest revenue folks, whereas blowing the most important deficit within the finances that we have had within the historical past of the nation. These issues simply do not add up.
WEIJIA JIANG: Effectively, simply final week, you stated you agree with 75% of what is on this package deal, that is a fairly important quantity. So why is not it definitely worth the 25% that you do not like?
REP. SUOZZI: As a result of these issues that I simply talked about are so devastating. I like the concept that we’re investing extra money to safe the border. I like the concept that we’re offering tax breaks to decrease revenue people and exhausting working center class people and other people aspiring to the center class. I like the thought of offering tax breaks for these people. However why are we providing- and when the economic system is doing in addition to it has been over the previous a number of years, why would we be offering a tax decrease- tax breaks for a number of the wealthiest Individuals in our nation, whereas blowing an enormous gap within the deficit?
WEIJIA JIANG: Congressman, I need to flip to an op-ed that you simply wrote in The Wall Avenue Journal final week saying, Zohran Mamdani’s win within the New York Metropolis’s Democratic mayoral main must be a quote, ‘loud get up name for Democrats.’ What classes do you suppose your social gathering can study from- from his marketing campaign?
REP. SUOZZI: Effectively, you recognize, I disagree with Mr. Mamdani. I’ve to make that very clear that, you recognize, I am a Democratic capitalist. I am not a Democratic socialist. And- however you must acknowledge that he tapped into one thing. He tapped into the identical factor that Donald Trump tapped into, which is that individuals are involved that the economic system is just not working for them. Affordability and the economic system is the primary situation within the nation. And too typically, Democrats will not be perceived as being targeted on affordability and the economic system and the center class, and other people aspiring to the center class and their financial issues. They see Democrats as being primarily targeted on reproductive rights and on LGBT protections, that are essential points, however they don’t seem to be the problems that individuals take into consideration each night time after they’re mendacity in mattress interested by paying their payments or after they’re speaking about how they will ship their youngsters to highschool. So Democrats have gotten to do a greater job studying from each Trump and Mamdani not with their options, which I believe are flawed, however with the prognosis of the issue that we’re pissed off, we’re involved. All people in America, whether or not you are a proper wing conservative or a left wing progressive, ought to consider that in return for working exhausting, you make sufficient cash so you’ll be able to stay life. You should buy a house, you’ll be able to educate your youngsters, you’ll be able to pay to your medical insurance, you’ll be able to retire someday with out being scared. Folks do not feel that at present, and we’ve to do a greater job of speaking that.
WEIJIA JIANG: Effectively, I am glad you introduced up the notion, since you additionally wrote that ‘Democrats should acknowledge the long run begins with a message of financial safety for American households.’ I coated the Biden marketing campaign. I coated the Harris marketing campaign. That was the middle of their messages. So what’s the issue right here? Is it the messenger? Is it the messaging? As a result of they’ve that message already.
REP. SUOZZI: It is a mixture. Quantity- the Democratic Celebration as a complete has to have this platform that focuses on what the folks care about. They care concerning the economic system, they care about immigration, they care about taxes, they care about crime, they care about well being care. However then we’ve to acknowledge that the media infrastructure is fractured, and Trump figured it out earlier than the Democrats have, which is that it isn’t simply conventional media like your exhibits and newspapers, nevertheless it’s social media. It is podcasts. Podcasts, the highest 500 podcasts in America, 400 of the highest 500 are proper leaning. 100 are left leaning. And of the 100 left leaning ones, half of them beat the, you recognize what, out of the Democrats. Then you’ve gotten different nationwide media, after which you’ve gotten a few of this ethnic and underground media associated to WeChat and WhatsApp and various kinds of apps that individuals use. So we’ve to speak throughout all these platforms, as a result of individuals are getting their messages in these fractured environments and dwelling in these echo chambers, and we’ve to do a greater job speaking throughout all these platforms and getting Democrats as a complete to concentrate on the economic system, immigration, et cetera.
WEIJIA JIANG: Alright, Congressman, we’re all attempting to study all these new languages. Thanks a lot to your time this morning. And we’ll be proper again with much more Face the Nation. Stick with us.
