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Shutdown Talk Heats Up Over Health Care09/16 06:15
A deadline looming, Congress charged Monday toward a federal government
shutdown as Republicans brush back Democratic demands to save health care
funding from cutbacks, while Democrats are flexing a newfound willingness to
play hardball, even if it means closing offices and services.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A deadline looming, Congress charged Monday toward a
federal government shutdown as Republicans brush back Democratic demands to
save health care funding from cutbacks, while Democrats are flexing a newfound
willingness to play hardball, even if it means closing offices and services.
Republican leaders are ready to call the Democrats' bluff, possibly as soon
as this week, with a test vote before the end-of-the-month deadline to keep
government running.
GOP leaders said they could tee up a vote on a short-term spending bill that
would keep the federal government fully operational when the new budget year
begins Oct. 1. It would likely be a temporary patch, into mid-November.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said the measure would include funds to boost
security for lawmakers in the wake of the assassination of conservative
activist Charlie Kirk. Additionally, the Trump administration said it's asking
Congress for $58 million in increased funding for the U.S. Marshals Service and
security for the Supreme Court. And the Senate is considering its own proposals.
"I want everyone within the sound of my voice to understand: Members of
Congress are safe," Johnson, R-La., said Monday at the Capitol. "They will be
kept safe. They have security measures now at their residence and personally.
We can always enhance and do more and do better."
In the past budget battles, it has been Republicans who've been willing to
engage in shutdown threats as a way to focus attention on their priority
demands. That was the situation during the nation's longest shutdown, during
the winter of 2018-19, when President Donald Trump was insisting on federal
funds to build the U.S.-Mexico border wall.
This time, however, Democrats, facing intense pressure from their base of
supporters to stand up to Trump and refuse to fund the administration's
policies, are taking a tougher position -- even if it means halting funds
needed to run federal offices.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said he and House Democratic Leader
Hakeem Jeffries are united in opposing any legislation that doesn't include key
health care provisions.
They have particularly focused on the potential for skyrocketing health care
premiums for millions of Americans if Congress fails to extend enhanced
subsidies, which many people use to buy insurance on the Affordable Care Act
exchange. Those subsidies were put in place during the COVID crisis, but are
set to expire.
Schumer contends that Republicans and Trump will be held responsible if they
don't negotiate a bipartisan deal.
"If one side refuses to negotiate, they are the ones causing the shutdown,"
Schumer said.
Trump, though, called on Republicans to stay united, and sought to pin the
blame for any shutdown on Democrats.
"In times like these, Republicans have to stick TOGETHER to fight back
against the Radical Left Democrat demands, and vote 'YES!'" Trump wrote on
social media.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said that if the House acted, he would
prefer senators also vote this week before they leave town. They are scheduled
to be out of session all next week. The fiscal year draws to a close Sept. 30,
and Congress must act by then to avoid a partial shutdown.
The top Republicans on the Senate and House Appropriations Committees have
been urging that the stopgap spending bill fund the government through Nov. 20.
But congressional leaders said a final date has not been set.
It's unclear if Democrats would support a temporary funding bill to avoid a
government interruption if talks were underway on the health care issue.
Jeffries issued a statement in response to Trump's social media comments,
saying that insurance premiums are skyrocketing and millions of Americans are
losing coverage. He also warned that hospitals, nursing homes and
community-based health clinics are closing throughout the country.
"House Democrats will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that
continues to gut the healthcare of the American people. That's what this
shutdown fight is all about, Mr. President," Jeffries said.
There's support on both sides of the political aisle for extending tax
credits that have made health insurance more affordable for millions of people
since the COVID-19 pandemic. But there are still differences over how to do so.
Democrats are threatening to vote to shut down the government at the end of
the month if Republicans don't extend the subsidies, which were first put in
place in 2021 and extended a year later when they controlled Congress and the
White House. The tax credits go to low- and middle-income people who purchase
health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
Without the tax credits, the cost of health coverage next year will soar for
millions. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the number of
people without insurance would rise by 2.2 million in 2026, and by 3.7 million
the following year, if Congress failed to act.
While Schumer and Jeffries have threatened a shutdown, other Democrats say
they could support a "clean" bill that would continue current spending, as long
as they had assurances from Republicans on health care and other Democratic
priorities.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said he would vote for a stopgap bill "if it's for a
limited time to reach the solution."
Thune indicated that a continuing resolution would likely not include
efforts by some Republicans to include sanctions on countries that import oil
from Russia.
"I hope it's ripe here soon, but I think one of the things the president is
trying to ensure happens before we do secondary sanctions is that our European
allies join us," Thune said. "It would minimize the effectiveness of the
sanctions unless we have all of our allies join us."
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