On Monday evening, House Democrats gathered for a crucial strategy session in the Capitol, focusing on two primary objectives: to unify the party amidst the ongoing budget conflict and to pressure GOP leaders to return to the negotiation table to avert a government shutdown.
In a private meeting held in the Capitol’s basement, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and his leadership team aimed to rally opposition against the Republicans’ spending proposal, which omits the health care provisions the Democrats are insisting on as a prerequisite for their support.
“This is fundamentally about the Republicans’ actions concerning health care in our nation,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), the leading Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. “They have stirred a crisis, an immediate one at that. This will lead to increased costs for Americans at a time when every family is worried about living expenses and affordability.”
The effort appears destined to fail — at least in its objective to yank Republicans into new talks before a shutdown.
House Republican leaders have canceled the week’s planned votes, leaving virtually no GOP representatives in Washington. Thus, the House Democrats returning to the Capitol this week found themselves largely alone on that side of the campus. A meeting with President Trump and congressional leaders at the White House resulted in mutual blame but failed to foster progress toward a shutdown-preventing agreement.
Nonetheless, Democrats are optimistic that their presence in Washington, contrasted with the Republicans’ absence, will convey to voters that they are actively seeking a resolution while GOP members are conspicuously missing.
“The House isn’t here,” said Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.). “The deadline is Tuesday [at] midnight, and they’re not going to be here to do anything.”
“We’re here, and they’re not. I think it’s pretty obvious,” echoed Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.).
The crux of the Democrats’ demands involves ObamaCare tax credits, which are set to expire by the year’s end. Democrats, along with some Republicans, seek to extend these credits to avoid surging health care costs for millions on January 1.
GOP leaders in both chambers have signaled an openness to addressing the ObamaCare subsidies. But they don’t want to do it as a part of the current spending debate, arguing there’s time to do it later in the year.
“This is purely and simply hostage-taking,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said after Monday’s White House meeting.
Democrats disagree, noting that insurance rate notices go out in October, while ObamaCare’s open enrollment window begins Nov. 1. They’re worried that patients will get spooked by the new rates — which are calculated using current law, not what Congress might do in the future — and opt out of coverage altogether.
“We’re standing up to try to protect America’s health care system that’s being dismantled,” said Costa. “Notices start going out this week.”
The late impasse has heightened the odds that large parts of the government will shut down at the end of the day on Tuesday, which is sure to escalate the finger pointing over which party is to blame.
Republicans say Democrats will bear the responsibility, because the GOP bill is merely an extension of current spending levels, which passed through the Senate with bipartisan support in March.
“There’s nothing partisan in here,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said after the White House gathering. “No policy riders. None of our big policy preferences.”
House Democrats are quick to note that they opposed the March bill, citing levels of spending they said would cut programs that benefit vulnerable populations.
“The March spending agreement was a partisan bill that hurt veterans, hurt children, hurt families, hurt seniors, hurt the health care of the American people, which is why Democrats in the House strongly oppose it,” Jeffries said Monday night.
If there are any cracks in the Democratic opposition to the GOP plan, they weren’t visible Monday in the Capitol, where Democrats of all stripes said they’re sticking with party leaders in demanding health care protections — even if the result is a shutdown.
“Our constituents,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), “don’t want us to do harm to them.”
