Hakeem Jeffries defends Democrats’ Obamacare tax credit stance
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday dismissed as “ridiculous” the charge that Democrats want to let key Obamacare subsidies expire to deal a political blow to Republicans.
“Shame on you,” DY’s Jeffries said, at one point dispelling the notion in a heated debate with CNBC’s Becky Quick on “Squawk Box.”
The shooting occurred less than six weeks before those subsidies — enhanced tax credits that reduce health insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act for millions of enrollees — were set to expire.
Quick had questioned why House Democrats wanted a three-year extension of those subsidies, which Republicans do not support, rather than a one- or two-year deal some might support.
When Jeffries noted that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (DY) had proposed a one-year extension of tax credits during the government shutdown, Quick intervened and pressured him not to “go back to what’s been done in the past.”
Jeffries said it provided necessary context that “Republicans have repeatedly refused to take yes for an answer.”
Quick responded: “That’s important context to help me understand that you don’t want to make a deal. I think that’s something you want to see rates go higher and let the Republicans get on with it.”
Jeffries hit back: “That’s an absolutely ridiculous claim…shame on you for saying that.”
“This is not a partisan issue for us. In fact, the states most affected by the expiration of the Affordable Care Act tax credit are all Republican states.”
The fight over tax credits was at the center of the 43-day shutdown that ended last week without a clear solution on health care.
Democrats have called for a permanent extension of the loans imposed on the Biden administration during the Covid-19 pandemic and have refused to fund the government without that guarantee.
Republicans, who hold slim majorities in the House and Senate and have long been critics of Obamacare, have said they also want to take on health policy. But they refused to negotiate without reopening the government first.
“Republicans have said in the House that they are willing to address the Affordable Care Act tax credit issue once a government funding agreement is reached,” Jeffries told CNBC. he said. “Well, now the government shutdown is over and there still have been no meetings with House Republican leaders.”
The funding deal, which was ultimately signed by President Donald Trump and received enough support from Democrats to pass the Senate, only guaranteed that the upper chamber would vote on a bill of the Democrats’ choosing in December.
There is no guarantee that Senate Republicans will support the measure or that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will accept it.
