The federal government is now in the midst of a shutdown.
After passing a partisan government funding bill, Speaker Mike Johnson put the House on recess and has refused to negotiate a bipartisan funding bill. Despite Donald Trump’s claim that Republicans don’t need Democrats to pass the continuing resolution (CR), they failed to get even a majority in the Senate on a partisan CR―and the Senate needs 60 votes to pass spending bills.
We need our allies to stand firm and demand a CR that extends the enhanced ACA premium tax credits, restores Medicaid funding cut in the Big Brutal Bill, and asserts Congress’s power of the purse to prevent the Trump administration from illegally freezing and rescinding funding for our communities.
So far, Donald Trump and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought have cancelled or frozen more than $410 billion in funding for programs, including over $1 billion in substance use and mental health treatment, $250 million for school-based mental health grants (impacting over 200 programs in 30 states), and $500 million from the Emergency Food Assistance Program.
Click here to send a message to your senators and representative today.
Meanwhile, our health crisis demands immediate attention. Health insurance companies on the ACA marketplace are finalizing their premium increases now, which will go into effect January 1st. Families will start to get notices in the next few weeks about increased health costs before open enrollment begins on November 1st. The expiration of premium tax credits that help millions afford health care will drive up costs across the board, with payments expected to rise by over 75% on average, and in a dozen states, costs will more than double. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the number of uninsured people due to these increases could be as many as 2.2 million next year alone.
Tell Congress to vote against any government funding bill that allows vulnerable communities to continue to suffer.
Click here to send a message to your senators and representative today.
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