House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed confidence on Sunday that Congress will extend the expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits, despite facing opposition from Republican lawmakers.
During an interview with ABC's Jonathan Karl on "This Week," Jeffries dismissed Senate Majority Leader John Thune's assertion that a straightforward three-year extension would not pass in the Senate, stating that Thune "is not serious about protecting the health care of the American people."
According to Politico, Jeffries emphasized the potential for bipartisan support, stating, "It will pass, with a bipartisan majority, and then that will put the pressure on John Thune and Senate Republicans to actually do the right thing by the American people: pass a straightforward extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits so we can keep health care affordable for tens of millions of Americans who deserve to be able to go see a doctor when they need one."
The House is poised to vote in January on this extension after a Democratic discharge petition forced the issue, despite objections from Speaker Mike Johnson. This follows the House's passage of a Republican health care bill that omits the credits, risking their expiration at year's end.
In a "Fox News Sunday" interview, Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) of the Problem Solvers Caucus highlighted the Democratic bill as a temporary fix. Fitzpatrick, one of four Republicans backing the discharge petition, was commended by Suozzi for his bipartisan approach: "The idea is to get a vehicle to the Senate so that we can work together to actually address it." However, Senate Republicans remain largely opposed.
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky reiterated his opposition to extending the subsidies, advocating instead for his plan to expand Association Health Plans, which he argues could lower premiums through negotiation.
Paul criticized Obamacare, stating, "We have health care in our country for poor people. Its called Medicaid. All of the rest of the stuff has not worked. Obamacare has been a failure. President Obama said it would bring premiums down; premiums have gone through the roof. Every time we give more subsidies, the premiums go higher."
Despite these challenges, Jeffries maintained that the health care system requires reform, criticizing President Donald Trump and Republicans for unfulfilled promises on cost reduction. He asserted, "As Democrats, were promising to focus relentlessly on driving down the high cost of living, to make life more affordable for everyday Americans, and to fix our broken health care system, which Republicans have been damaging in an extraordinary way throughout the year, including by enacting the largest cut to Medicaid in American history."
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