Hakeem Jeffries says public pressure will force Congress to extend ACA subsidies

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Source: NPR

Updated October 21, 202512:25 PM ET


Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he believes public pressure will mount on Republicans in the coming days to extend health insurance subsidies that are the heart of the shutdown fight. Most of the federal government remains shut down after Senate Republicans and Democrats again failed to pass a spending bill Monday that would reopen the government. Democrats, who have put forward their own spending resolution, remain steadfast that Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies used by more than 20 million people to afford monthly health premiums should be extended.

With the credits expiring at the end of the year and ACA open enrollment beginning Nov. 1, many buying insurance through their state's marketplace are likely to see their monthly costs soar. In an interview with Morning Edition, Jeffries said he believes "it will become readily apparent to people throughout America why it is so important for Congress to act to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits."

Some Republicans have proposed a one-year extension of the ACA subsidies, which Jeffries has opposed. In a separate interview with Morning Edition, GOP Rep. Mike Lawler of New York said Democrats knew the subsidies would expire and dared Jeffries to sign onto the one-year extension if he was "serious" about it.

In response, Jeffries said that "If billionaires can be provided tax breaks on a permanent basis in ways that will explode the deficit all across the country and result in people losing their health insurance … it seems to us that Republicans should come to the table to provide a greater degree of certainty as it relates to health care that's being provided to working class Americans," referring to President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2025/10/21/nx-s1-5580550/hakeem-jeffries-on-the-government-shutdown-and-the-ongoing-stalemate-on-capitol-hill