Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) told CNN that he had a recent phone call with President Trump who made it clear he doesn't want to hurt people. His concern is, is there something better we can do? Van Drew said, adding that he told the president, I don't think we're going to get it done in a matter of weeks.
The government shutdown has reopened debate on what has been a central issue for both major political parties in the last 15 years: the future of health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Tax credits for people who get health insurance through the marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, expire at the end of the year. Democrats say they won't vote to reopen the government until Republicans negotiate an extension of the expanded subsidies.
For hundreds of thousands of people across Massachusetts, the fight at the center of the government shutdown carries frightening and immediate consequences: Can they continue to afford government-backed health insurance, or will they face skyrocketing premiums that could shatter their financial security? Since 2021, expanded federal subsidies have made it possible for 337,000 people in Massachusetts to more easily afford health insurance through the Massachusetts Health Connector,the state's version of the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
Democrats have railed against Johnson for refusing to swear Grijalva in until the shutdown ends and the House returns to session, accusing him of wanting to block a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files. "You just don't want her to be on the Epstein discharge petition," Gallego told Johnson, who responded that the claim is "totally absurd" and said, "You guys are experts at red herrings and distractions."
Democrats believe health care is an issue that resonates with a majority of Americans as they demand an extension of subsidies in exchange for their votes to reopen the shuttered U.S. government. But it is also one of the most intractable issues in Congress - and a real compromise amid the government shutdown will not likely be easy, or quick.
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