HEALTH INSURANCE IS A DEMOCRATIC PRIORITY
Senate Democrats, who are demanding a permanent extension of federal subsidies to help people afford health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, have voted down the House-approved funding bill, known as a continuing resolution or CR, four times.
With a 53-47 seat majority and one Republican opposed to the CR, Republican leaders need at least eight Democrats to support their funding legislation. But only two Democrats and an independent who caucuses with them have crossed the aisle so far.
“All we have to do is get five more Democrats to vote ‘yes,’ the government opens up, and then we can start talking about all these other things they want to have conversations about,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on the Fox News program Sunday Morning Futures.
But efforts to strike a deal have gone nowhere so far.
“In those conversations, the Republicans offered nothing,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who said that any breakthrough would depend on a deal among him, Trump, Thune, Jeffries and House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Some Democrats want a deal on ACA healthcare subsidies in place before open enrollment for next year begins on Nov 1.
“We have to get this done by November 1,” Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego told CNN, warning that missing that date would mean higher healthcare costs for enrollees and possibly no insurance coverage at all.
Democrats also want protection against White House actions to withhold or cancel funding allocated by Congress.
“If we agree to a CR and nothing more, they’re telling us: ‘We don’t plan to abide by it,'” Democratic Senator Adam Schiff told NBC.
“We need some written assurance in the law. I won’t take a promise that they’re not going to renege on any deal we make.”
The standoff has frozen about US$1.7 trillion in funds for agency operations, which amounts to roughly one-quarter of annual federal spending. Much of the remainder goes to health and retirement programs and interest payments on the growing US$37.5 trillion debt.
