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House Democrats are ready to go to war to save enhanced Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year, even if it means risking a partial government shutdown.
Democrats and some moderate House Republicans have been sounding the alarm about the expiring healthcare subsidies for weeks, a fight that’s now coming to a head as the Senate is poised to vote on a short-term federal funding bill called a “continuing resolution” (CR) aimed at keeping the government funded through Nov. 21.
House Democrats held an in-person caucus meeting on Capitol Hill Monday night to paint a contrasting image with House Republicans who are home in their districts during a potential shutdown.
“One, yes, we should get it done in this CR,” Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., told Fox News Digital after the meeting when asked if getting the subsidies included was worth risking a potential shutdown. “The Republicans in the last 20 years have asked for policy goal after policy goal in this similar situation.”
House Democrats, led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, left, are warning their party is rejecting any government shutdown deal that does not extend expiring Obamacare subsidies. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Debra L Rothenberg/WireImage)
“And number two, we need some commitments that if we sign up for a budget, the budget will actually be observed,” he added.
Both Himes and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, referenced earlier comments by senior appropriator Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., to Politico, questioning why Democrats would join the GOP in funding negotiations given the Trump administration’s propensity for cutting spending that Congress agrees on.
DeLauro told reporters after the meeting that Republicans “absolutely” needed to deliver on Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), in written legislation.
“Why should we believe them if it’s not in legislation?” she asked.
DeLauro said earlier, “We certainly don’t want to shut down. We’ve said that all along, and all we need is good, bipartisan cooperation. That’s what’s necessary. We’ve been able to do that before, I anticipate we ought to be getting there now. And all this is about is affordability, affordability of health care costs.”
Other House Democrats who spoke with Fox News Digital did not…
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