Scalise: House Republicans Are Lowering Costs, Strengthening Security, and Protecting Election Integrity

This morning, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box to discuss how House Republicans are lowering costs for working families, rooting out fraud, and preserving election integrity, while Democrats continue on their march to socialism. Leader Scalise also highlighted President Trump's leadership in confronting Iran and restoring stability to global energy markets.

Highlights from Leader Scalise’s interview:

On President Trump standing up to Iran:

“Well, you know, [Iran's negotiators] said they want to meet with the president again. This has been going on, the negotiations. I think they realize the president is serious because I don't think they've dealt with a president that is frankly willing to take the kind of actions that President Trump's taken. I mean, he's taken out their navy, he's taken out their nuclear facilities. So this is a president who's not going to play games. But at the same time, the Iranians are just not used to playing by other people's rules or by world rules. I mean, they slaughter their own people. So at the end of the day, I think they're coming along very reluctantly, but they're going to have to come along. And so you're seeing the price of oil reflected. I mean, a barrel of oil today, like you said, in the low 70s. It was hovering around 100 just a month and two months ago. And so, you know, I think the volatility has calmed down, which is what the world wants to see. And that shows you that most people think that Iran is finally recognizing their fate.”

On lowering the housing costs for American families:

“Well, I want the SAVE Act too. We passed the SAVE America Act multiple times through the House and it's sitting over in the Senate. But the housing bill is very important. I mean, this is a bill that will lower housing costs. It will become law. Let's be clear about that. I'd like the President to sign the bill because I think it's going to help the President. It's going to help American families. French Hill, his committee, working with Tim Scott in his committee, did a really good job at focusing on what some of the problems are in housing, removing red tape, allowing more housing to be built both for homeowners and for renters. Both of those areas of the market are depressed, and this bill is going to help ease that and lower the cost to build that housing. So I'd like to see the bill get signed and let the President take a victory lap because it's something that he helped negotiate and it's going to be good for the economy, like so many other things this president has done for the economy that you see finally starting to move in the right direction.”

On the Democrats’ Bolshevik Revolution of 2026:

“Swing voters do not want socialism. Frankly, a lot of Democrats don't want socialism. So as you point out, yes, the hardcore Democrat base is very motivated. Frankly, there's going to be a lot of Republican voters motivated too because it's gonna be a contrast election and they realize what the stark choice is. You know, these radical socialists wanna come in and impeach Donald Trump day one. They want to reverse the gains we've made. They want to raise taxes. They want to raise energy prices. Remember, these are all the same people that want to shut down the fossil fuel industry in America. So if you want to see higher gas prices, vote for a socialist. If you wanna see higher housing costs, vote for a socialist because they promise everything. Everything's going to be free. But as you know, there is no such thing as a free lunch. And go look at all the countries where they've promised all those very same things. It ends really badly for the people, especially low-income people. They're the ones who pay the highest price for socialism. And America is not going to let that happen.”

On House Republicans's agenda for a safe, secure, and affordable America:

“Speaker Johnson and I both are working very hard to try to get a reconciliation bill. I'd like to see one. I've been in a lot of meetings working with different elements of our caucus. We want to address a number of things like fraud, like affordability, and also defense. Helping rebuild our defense so that we can compete with China. So, you're looking at a lot of different fronts, the elements are there for a reconciliation bill, but it's hard because we've got a two-seat majority and every Democrat has walked away. I mean, think about this: On fraud. We all know what a learing center is now because of what we exposed in Minnesota, yet every Democrat voted against the measures to cut that fraud out. I mean, Dr. Oz has estimated there's about $100 billion of fraud just in healthcare. That is theft, theft by criminal organizations in foreign countries. And Democrats won't work with us to stop it. So, we're going to have to do it on our own if we do. And I would like us to go down that road. And reconciliation is the best way to tackle fraud and return that money to taxpayers. And that helps affordability. So, anybody that talks about lowering costs and then defends fraud, they're lying to voters. And so, we're going to confront that. Reconciliation is the best way to do it.

“We've been working on putting elements of the SAVE Act in the reconciliation bill. Ultimately, if you talk about things like a fund to make sure that you allow states to require picture ID. I mean, just the basic idea of showing a photo ID to vote, just like you do to get on an airplane or to buy a six-pack of beer, to have the franchise of American democracy be protected. That's what we're trying to achieve. I think that's possible in a reconciliation bill. And so that's one of the items on the table.”

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