[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 201 (Tuesday, December 2, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S8431]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, on a separate subject, in just a few 
weeks, the Affordable Care Act's enhanced premium tax credits are set 
to expire. We have precious little time to act. That means, on January 
1 of next year, millions of Americans will see their health insurance 
costs skyrocket, and some will have to drop health insurance coverage 
completely because they just can't afford the premiums. Will they get 
sick? You bet. Will they go to the hospital? Many will. Will they get 
treated? Yes. Will they be able to pay their bills with their health 
insurance premiums? Unfortunately, not if they drop coverage.
  That includes my constituent Jess, a hair stylist in Chicago who was 
diagnosed with breast cancer last year. Jess said that if the tax 
credits go away, as they are supposed to on January 1, she would be 
forced to pay more for healthcare and will have to make a ``lifestyle 
change to pay the difference,'' potentially working more shifts. She 
also worries about a lapse of coverage if the price increase forces her 
to switch plans. Any gap in coverage could jeopardize her lifesaving 
cancer treatment.
  How would you like to have that hanging over your head? Premiums of 
your health insurance plan go through the roof, and you need constant 
coverage because of a diagnosis of breast cancer. No American family 
should face that.
  Here is the good news though. We can make a difference here in the 
Senate. We can stop Americans like Jess from falling off this looming 
healthcare cliff. As part of the bipartisan agreement to end the 
longest government shutdown in American history, Leader Thune, who was 
on the floor this morning, gave me his word, and I accepted it, that he 
will hold a vote in this Chamber extending these subsidies to Jess and 
others who desperately need help.
  Last week, reports emerged from the White House about plans to 
release a proposal that would extend these subsidies for 2 years. The 
President was supporting that. Imagine my surprise after trying to cut 
or repeal the Affordable Care Act more than 70 times, after he promised 
on the campaign trail that he had ``concepts of a plan,'' whatever the 
heck that is--finally, we were to see the details of the Republican 
healthcare agenda for America.
  But congressional Republicans jumped all over the White House and 
told the President he couldn't do it. They threw cold water on the idea 
of the President cooperating with the Democrats to solve this problem. 
The President has been tough to pin down on this subject, and 
Republicans know that they have a losing hand because they have no 
plan.
  So far, their signature accomplishment is a law that would kick 11 
million Americans off Medicaid and shutter rural hospitals in my State 
and others.
  It is my hope that the President and Republicans will come to the 
table and negotiate in good faith in the few days that remain in the 
December session. Let's do this together. Let's fix the tax credit that 
is available to families who struggle to pay health insurance premiums. 
If they don't, we will put our proposal on the floor, and the American 
people will see where each party stands when it comes to helping 
deserving American families who need a helping hand.
  If our offer on the Democrat side is rejected, the American public 
will know, with every paycheck, with every prescription, with every 
hospital bill, which party stood on their side and which didn't.
  The time to make a good-faith effort on a bipartisan basis is now. 
Just 13 days from now is the deadline to enroll or change plans before 
the first of the year. Before and during the shutdown, my Republican 
colleagues argued there was plenty of time to craft a fix before the 
subsidies expire. The clock is ticking, and we need to act on a 
bipartisan basis.
  When I voted to end the government shutdown, it was controversial. 
But I said I would not wage a political strategy at the expense of my 
neighbor's paycheck or food for his family. I meant it. But I, too, 
cannot sit idly by while 20 million Americans go without gas or 
groceries in order to pay their health insurance premiums. This is a 
question of fundamentals: Will you be able to afford the healthcare you 
and your family need? Let's get this done on behalf of every American 
in red and blue communities alike.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sheehy). The Senator from Maine.

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