Democrats claimed Tuesday they’ve grabbed the political higher hand within the combat over the federal government shutdown as Republican cracks are rising on skyrocketing medical health insurance prices.
Home Minority Chief Rep. Hakeem Jeffries spotlighted feedback by outspoken right-wing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) that she is “absolutely disgusted” by her personal get together’s refusal to barter an extension of subsidies for the Obamacare program.
“Tens of millions of Americans are about to experience dramatically increased health insurance costs,” Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) advised reporters on Capitol Hill. “A growing number of Republicans are adopting the enlightened Democratic view that this is unacceptable.”
Flanked by a posterboard depicting Greene’s tweet concerning the shutdown, Jeffries stated the American public helps the Democratic place that the GOP should negotiate over the Obamacare concern instantly to forestall many plans from doubling in price as quickly as open enrollment begins in November.
“Hold on to your hats. … Greene is absolutely right,” Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) added in a speech on the Senate flooring.
U.S. Home Minority Chief Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speaks on the present authorities shutdown throughout a information convention on the U.S. Capitol on October 6, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photograph by Alex Wong/Getty Photos)
Greene broke ranks with Home Speaker Mike Johnson, who has insisted Democrats should rubber-stamp a GOP stopgap spending measure earlier than Republicans conform to any talks on well being prices.
The MAGA loyalist insisted she is going to refuse to “[toe] the party line or play loyalty games.”
“It is absolutely shameful, disgusting, and traitorous … that the government is shut down right now fighting over basic issues like this,” Greene posted.
“Americans [are] literally destroyed by health insurance and healthcare costs,” she added.
Johnson (R-La.) dismissed the criticism, saying that Greene “does not serve on the committees of jurisdiction to deal with those specialized issues.”
The federal government shutdown began final week when Senate Democrats refused, with out concessions on well being care prices, to again the Republican measure to increase funding till the week earlier than Thanksgiving. Each side are dug in, and there’s no signal of a decision anytime quickly.
President Trump has threatened to put off 1000’s of federal staff and has began searching for to punish Democratic states by slicing infrastructure funds.
He additionally raised the stakes Tuesday by warning that some or all of presidency staff furloughed in the course of the shutdown might not obtain again pay as they did in all earlier shutdowns.
Throughout an unrelated White Home assembly with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, he denounced Democrats for the shutdown, calling it a “kamikaze attack” on the nation.
President Donald Trump (L) solutions questions whereas childhood most cancers survivors and their households collect within the Oval Workplace on the White Home on September 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photograph by Win McNamee/Getty Photos)
Polls say Individuals largely blame Trump and Republicans for the shutdown by a major margin, suggesting the Democratic message is resonating with the general public.
Democrats have thus far remained largely united behind get together leaders’ place that they are going to vote to fund the federal government provided that Trump and Republicans negotiate a deal on Obamacare premiums.
Jeffries mocked Johnson for claiming that Republicans all the time deliberate to discover a decision to the issue of expiring Obamacare tax credit in October, noting that GOP leaders may have handled the problem anytime this 12 months or included it of their sprawling One Huge Stunning Invoice, which minimize billions in Medicaid funding.
“If you’re planning to deal with it, let’s do it right now,” Jeffries stated. “We’re ready.”
Initially Revealed: October 7, 2025 at 2:24 PM EDT
