I voted no on the Republicans’ government funding bill. Here’s why.

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<p>Friends—</p><p><strong>I just came off the House floor, and I voted <em>No</em> on the Republicans’ government funding bill.</strong></p><p>The government shut down in the first place because Republicans refused to work with Democrats to prevent health care premiums for nearly 20 million Americans from <a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/aca-marketplace-premium-payments-would-more-than-double-on-average-next-year-if-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-expire/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">soaring next year.</a></p><p>This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Just as many Republicans as Democrats—if not more—<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/10/gop-weighs-aca-marketplace-cuts-republicans-more-likely-to-use-it.html#:~:text=Nearly%20half%2C%2045%25%2C%20of,Democrats%20as%20of%20May%202025." rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">rely on the Affordable Care Act for coverage.</a> We were fighting for all Americans who will be harmed when these premiums rise, but Republicans refused to budge.</p><p>The Right was willing to put the country through unnecessary pain before lifting a finger to help the American people afford health care—<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/10/gop-weighs-aca-marketplace-cuts-republicans-more-likely-to-use-it.html#:~:text=Nearly%20half%2C%2045%25%2C%20of,Democrats%20as%20of%20May%202025." rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">including their own supporters.</a></p><p>They actually sought to make the pain worse. We saw that when SNAP funding ran dry and the Trump administration went to court to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/11/09/nx-s1-5603417/full-snap-benefits-trump-states-order" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">block the use of a backup fund</a> to help Americans buy food. We saw it again when, even as federal employees went without pay, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/government-funding-deal-reverse-trumps-mass-federal-worker/story?id=127426908" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">they tried to lay off more workers.</a></p><p>I will not reward Republicans with my vote for betraying millions of Americans, forcing them to pay skyrocketing premiums or lose health coverage altogether.</p><p><strong>The shutdown may be over, but Democrats’ fight to make health care accessible and affordable for all continues.</strong></p><p>We’ll keep raising awareness, sharing people’s stories, and working with any Republican who believes—as we do—that millions of Americans shouldn’t see their health care premiums double in January, especially when so many <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/11/04/trump-inflation-prices-poll/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">families are already struggling with high costs.</a></p><p>Is our health care system affordable for everyone? Of course not—and no Democrat is claiming it is. But it’s been Democrats who have consistently offered solutions to bring costs down: empowering Medicare to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/05/us/politics/medicare-drug-costs.html" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">negotiate prescription drug prices</a>, <a href="https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/02/fact-sheet-president-bidens-cap-on-the-cost-of-insulin-could-benefit-millions-of-americans-in-all-50-states/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">capping insulin costs</a>, and more.</p><p>Republicans have <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/insulin-price-cap-senate-republicans-block-inflation-reduction-act/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">opposed these measures</a> time and again. And when Republicans are in charge, they have no plan at all. Earlier this year, they passed a bill that will strip health insurance from <a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/by-the-numbers-harmful-republican-megabill-will-take-health-coverage-away-from" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">10 million people</a>, and their inaction on these premium increases will cause more than <a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/five-key-changes-to-aca-marketplaces-amid-uncertainty-over-premium-tax-credit#:~:text=If%20the%20credits%E2%80%99%20enhancements%20expire%2C%20about%204%20million%20people%20will%20lose%20their%20marketplace%20coverage%20and%20become%20uninsured%2C%20according%20to%20the%20Congressional%20Budget%20Office." rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">4 million more to lose coverage.</a></p><p><strong>The bottom line is this:</strong> Democrats are fighting to prevent HealthCare.gov premium costs from rising. Republicans did not join us. The Right was willing to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/11/09/nx-s1-5603417/full-snap-benefits-trump-states-order" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">inflict</a> <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/government-funding-deal-reverse-trumps-mass-federal-worker/story?id=127426908" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">harm</a> on everyday Americans rather than work with us to protect people’s coverage.</p><p>My Democratic colleagues and I will continue fighting to prevent Obamacare premiums from increasing and to make health care in this country more affordable. I hope Republicans will join us in that effort.</p><p>Sincerely,</p><p>Jim</p> </div>
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