U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to reporters as Senate Democratic leaders maintain a press convention following their weekly coverage lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., Sept. 9, 2025.
Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters
Congressional Democrats are zeroing in on health care as a key sticking level in negotiations with the threat of a government shutdown looming.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, each of New York, have stated that they won’t assist GOP-backed laws to maintain the government funded except it consists of sure health-care provisions, establishing a bitter coverage struggle with GOP lawmakers that might set off a shutdown.
“We have made clear that under no circumstances will we support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to rip away health care from the American people,” Jeffries said on the House flooring this week.
With funding on the brink, congressional Democrats are demanding that any laws that may avert a shutdown embrace an extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits, that are set to run out on the finish of this 12 months except Congress intervenes.
If the tax credit disappear, common premiums might soar by about 75%, according to KFF, a nonpartisan health coverage analysis group.
The overwhelming majority of Americans with a health plan from the ACA market had a premium tax credit score in 2025, based on KFF, that means their elimination would have widespread penalties.
Democrats have additionally repeatedly criticized the cuts to Medicaid that have been half of the “One, Big Beautiful Bill,” and so they need Republicans to reverse them.
With Democrats showing to carry agency, their new onerous line will complicate negotiations forward of Sept. 30, which is when government funding is at present set to run out.
A unified House Republican convention might move laws with out Democratic assist, however Senate Republicans want some Democratic assist, given their razor-thin majority.
In March, Schumer joined Republicans to avert a government shutdown, however his transfer drew sharp criticism from his occasion.
This time, with an eye fixed on the 2026 midterm elections, Schumer and his Democratic colleagues have signaled that they won’t assist government funding laws that doesn’t embrace the important thing concessions.
But Republicans, for his or her half, additionally seem unlikely to budge on the Democratic lawmakers’ requests.
President Donald Trump dismissed Democrats’ calls for, telling Fox News this week that “there is something wrong with them.”
“If you gave them every dream right now … they want to give away money to this or that and destroy the country. If you gave them every dream, they would not vote for it,” Trump stated on “Fox and Friends.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., additionally accused Democrats of “clamoring” for a government shutdown.
“They want a fight with the Trump administration,” Thune advised Punchbowl News‘ “Fly Out Day.”
“But they don’t have a good reason to do it. And I don’t intend to give them a good reason to do it,” he continued.
With time ticking, lawmakers are prone to pursue a stopgap measure to maintain funding secure at federal businesses.
But even reaching that momentary resolution will likely be an uphill battle.