Welch Joins Eleven Senate Democrats to Unveil Plans to Lower Health Costs Amid Trump’s Broken Promises to Americans

Mar 19, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.),a member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care,today joinedSenate Finance CommitteeRanking MemberRon Wyden (D-Ore.)and ten Senate Democrats in announcing a new initiative to lower the cost of health care and improve health insurance coverage for American families. The letter, sent to Senate colleagues, outlines plans to reverse Republicans’ health care cuts and lower costs for patients, make health insurance simpler, and end insurance company gaming by taking on corporate greed.Learn moreabout Senate Democrats’ flash report on Trump’s broken promise of lower health costs.
“It is no surprise that Americans are increasingly questioning whether a system that incentivizes and rewards profit-seeking behavior is compatible with one that places the health and financial well-being of patients and families first,”the Senators wrote. “Republicans have spent the past year making these problems worse by passing the largest health care cuts in history and pursuing administrative actions that further destabilize health insurance markets. Trump and Republicans have used their majority to increase Americans’ health care costs and put new barriers between families and the care they need. Democrats can enact reforms that put patients over profits and consumers over complexity.”
In July 2025, President Trump and Congressional Republicans passed the largest cut to health care in American history, totaling more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and theAffordable Care Act. In addition, Republicans in Congress and President Trump refused to extend middle class tax credits for health care at the end of last year. As a result, premiums will increase, patients will lose services like care at home, and tens of millions will be forced to go without health insurance, driving up costs for all Americans.
Joining Senators Welch and Wyden on the letter are Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.).
Read and downloadthe full text of the Senators’ letter.
Last month, Senator Welch joined Senate Democrats inreleasing a planto take on the high cost of prescription drugs, amid Trump’s continued smoke and mirrors and broken promises to rein in Big Pharma:
“The President loves to talk a big game and make promises to working families about lowering prescription drug prices. But in reality, his Administration has done nothing to address the crisis. All he’s done is kicked people off their health insurance—including by ending the ACA’s premium tax credits. Families and businesses have been left holding the bag,”said Senator Welch at the press conference. “Democrats are determined to bring prices down, and we’re willing to work with anyone to find concrete ways to do it. We’re going to lower health care costs and ensure everyone can access affordable, life-saving, and pain-relieving medication.”
Congressional Democrats have repeatedly urged their Republican colleagues to work with them to extend theAffordable Care Acttax credits and protect access to care for millions. Senator Welch helped unveil Senate Democrats’plan to extend the tax creditsfor three years, but Republicans opposed the bill. Senator Welch was part of a bipartisan working group fighting to extend the credits, andspoke with President Trumpand Secretary Kennedy in the Oval Office about the urgent need to extend the credits. So far, the president and Congressional Republicans have refused to act.
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