New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries stage a dramatic sit-in protest on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Sunday, voicing strong opposition to proposed Republican budget cuts that they warn will devastate essential social programs. Starting at approximately 6 a.m., Booker and Jeffries, joined by several other Democratic lawmakers and union leaders, occupied the Capitol steps for more than 12 hours in a show of solidarity against what they describe as a reckless and harmful fiscal plan.
Booker and Jeffries argue that the Republican-led House is advancing a budget scheme aimed at gutting Medicaid, food assistance programs like SNAP, and other basic needs programs that serve millions of vulnerable Americans. They accuse GOP lawmakers of prioritizing tax breaks for billionaires at the expense of working-class families, seniors, and children who rely on federal support for healthcare, nutrition, and housing.
Throughout the protest, both Booker and Jeffries delivered impassioned speeches emphasizing the human cost of the proposed cuts. Booker stated that cutting funding for Medicaid and food assistance is not just a budgetary decision but a moral one, warning that it could lead to greater suffering for families already living on the edge. Jeffries echoed the sentiment, accusing Republican leaders of advancing a “cruel and catastrophic” agenda that favors the wealthy elite while punishing those most in need.
The sit-in drew a steady stream of supporters, including fellow Democrats in Congress, labor leaders, and activists who braved the heat and humidity to show their opposition. Participants carried signs reading “Hands Off Medicaid” and “Protect Working Families,” and chants occasionally erupted calling for justice, fairness, and compassion in federal spending decisions.
This protest unfolds amid intense negotiations on Capitol Hill over the federal budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Republican leaders argue that spending cuts are necessary to rein in the national debt and reduce government overreach. They contend that entitlement programs must be reformed to ensure long-term sustainability and economic growth. However, Democrats counter that slashing programs that support the most vulnerable Americans is not fiscal responsibility — it is ideological warfare on the poor and middle class.
The broader political backdrop includes an increasingly divided Congress and an approaching election season where issues like healthcare, economic inequality, and social welfare are expected to dominate campaign narratives. Progressive groups have already seized on Sunday’s sit-in as a rallying cry to mobilize voters ahead of the next election cycle.
Back history shows that protests against budget cuts are not new, but the intensity of Sunday’s demonstration — one of the longest sit-ins at the Capitol in recent memory — signals a deepening political divide over America’s fiscal priorities. Senator Booker, known for his advocacy on issues such as criminal justice reform and food security, and Congressman Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, have both built careers championing causes aimed at reducing inequality and expanding opportunity.
With the fate of the GOP budget plan still uncertain, Democrats are vowing to continue their resistance both inside the chambers of Congress and on the streets. As negotiations continue, Sunday’s sit-in marks a pivotal moment in the growing confrontation over the nation’s fiscal future.
