Summary
- Chuck
Schumer blamed Trump and Republicans. - Cited
them for ongoing government shutdown. - Accused
them of raising healthcare premiums. - Said
shutdown causes American suffering and pain.
After senators were unable to resolve a stalemate on
financing legislation, the federal government formally commenced a shutdown at
midnight on Wednesday.
“It’s day three of the Trump shutdown, and the
government remains closed because Donald Trump and Republicans insist on
raising Americans’ health care premiums and kicking millions off their
insurance.
Sending premiums skyrocketing, as Republicans insist, is
fundamentally unsustainable,”
Schumer said on the Senate floor as the
federal government remains shuttered for a third day.
On Wednesday, Senate Democrats once more vetoed a stopgap
funding package that was passed by the House and would have allowed the
government to reopen until November 21.
Schumer stated that Democrats are still prepared
and eager to cooperate with the opposition.
“We’re ready to work on a path forward to lower health
care costs for the American people and fund the federal government,”
he
added.
What demands are Democrats making to end the shutdown?
Democrats advocate for the renewal and expansion of enhanced
Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies (i.e., tax credits) which have enabled
millions of Americans to access affordable health coverage since 2021. These
subsidies will expire in December of this year and millions of consumers will
face more than double the costs in premiums when the subsidies expire.
Democrats want to restore cuts to Medicaid funding which
were included in the spending bill passed by the House of Representatives and
Senate earlier in the year, while under Republican control.
Democrats maintain that any government funding bill must
support protections of health care subsidies and Medicaid supporting funding
rather than defer these discussions.
