Debate Intensifies Over Potential Shutdown as Democrats Push to Prevent Health Care Reductions

WASHINGTON – As a deadline approaches, Congress moved on Monday towards a potential federal government shutdown. This situation arises as Republicans resist Democratic attempts to safeguard health care funding from cuts, with Democrats showing an increased readiness to stand firm, even if it results in the closure of offices and services.

The Republican leadership seems prepared to challenge the Democrats’ resolve, possibly as early as this week, by putting a test vote on the schedule before the month-end deadline necessary to keep the government functioning.

According to GOP leaders, they are planning a vote on a temporary spending measure that would ensure the federal government continues its operations when the new fiscal year commences on October 1. This measure would likely serve as a short-term fix, extending to mid-November.

House Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned that this bill would also allocate funds to strengthen security for lawmakers following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The Trump administration is also requesting Congress to approve an additional $58 million to enhance funding for the U.S. Marshals Service and Supreme Court security. Meanwhile, the Senate is contemplating its own plans.

“I want everyone within earshot to know: Members of Congress are protected,” stated Johnson, R-La., on Monday at the Capitol. “They have security at their homes and personal protection. We can always enhance these measures to do more and improve.”

Historically, it has been the Republicans who have threatened government shutdowns to highlight their priority issues. Such was the case during the country’s longest shutdown in the winter of 2018-19, when President Donald Trump demanded federal funding to construct 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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Staff writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.