On Tuesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “All In,” House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) commended the efforts of his fellow Democrats in the fight to protect the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, despite the recent government shutdown.
“There’s a lot of disappointment as it relates to what those seven or eight Senate Democrats decided to do,” Jeffries stated. “But what we have done is elevate, successfully, the issue of ACA subsidies and the need to protect them for the American people.”
The government shutdown, which lasted for three days, was caused by a stalemate between Democrats and Republicans over the inclusion of a provision to protect the ACA subsidies in the federal budget. The subsidies, which help low-income Americans afford health insurance, have been a target of the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers.
Despite the shutdown ending with a short-term funding agreement, Jeffries believes that the Democrats were able to bring attention to the importance of protecting the ACA subsidies.
“We have elevated the issue in a way that it has not been elevated before,” Jeffries said. “We’ve elevated it to the point that President Trump and the Republicans in Congress had to acknowledge that they were not going to be able to move forward with the budget without addressing the issue of ACA subsidies.”
Jeffries also praised the efforts of his colleagues in the Senate, specifically Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), for their leadership during the shutdown.
“Senators Schumer and Durbin have done an outstanding job in leading the Senate Democrats in this fight,” Jeffries said. “They have been able to get the Republicans to the table and get them to acknowledge that we need to protect the ACA subsidies.”
The fight to protect the ACA subsidies is far from over, as the issue will be revisited when the short-term funding agreement expires in February. However, Jeffries remains optimistic and believes that the Democrats have made significant progress in their efforts.
“We’ve made progress in elevating the issue and getting Republicans to acknowledge that we need to protect the ACA subsidies,” Jeffries said. “We will continue to fight for the American people and ensure that their access to affordable healthcare is not taken away.”
The House Minority Leader also urged his fellow Democrats to continue to stand strong and united in the fight to protect the ACA subsidies.
“We have to continue to stay focused and united,” Jeffries said. “We have to continue to elevate the issue and make sure that the American people understand that Democrats are fighting for them and their access to affordable healthcare.”
In conclusion, while the recent government shutdown may have caused disappointment and frustration, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries believes that the Democrats were able to successfully elevate the issue of ACA subsidies and make significant progress in protecting them. With continued unity and determination, the fight to protect the ACA subsidies will continue until the American people are guaranteed affordable healthcare.
