[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 208 (Wednesday, December 10, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8617-S8618]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               Healthcare

  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I join my colleague from Rhode Island 
and so many others to ask our Republican colleagues that they vote with 
us to stem this crisis. Tens of millions of Americans are facing this 
healthcare crisis. They are seeing their premiums double or even triple 
as they enroll in a health insurance plan for next year.
  This isn't a January thing, a February thing; it is a now thing, a 
right now thing.
  If Congress doesn't act and if our Republican colleagues don't join 
us in simply extending tax credits that have been in place for years, 
they will start paying the new premiums on Monday, 5 days from now. 
They are looking at their budgets--my constituents are, people all over 
the country are--making decisions about how to afford care or whether 
they will have to go uninsured because they can't afford it or buy some 
junk plan that they are not sure how that will cover them and certainly 
won't cover most of their routine healthcare.
  I urge my Republican colleagues to join us to stop these costs on 
premiums from skyrocketing, to protect healthcare. We have put forward 
a very reasonable proposal to extend the healthcare tax credits that 
have been helping tens of millions of people. We asked them to extend 
it for 3 years. We actually asked them to extend it for 2 years. We 
asked them to extend it to 1 year. I will note--this was during the 
shutdown--that a 1-year extension, if they would agree to that, it is 
about the same cost as the amount of money that the President of the 
United States gave to Argentina. So that is more important than helping 
people with their healthcare?

[[Page S8618]]

  We are simply saying, let's make sure the same tax credits that are 
helping people afford their healthcare, that are in place today--not 
some new radical plan, that are in place today that made more 
accessible healthcare yesterday and last year and the year before--that 
they continue to be there for families next year.
  If we extend the tax credit, we can bring relief during the holidays 
as people are facing the effects of these tariffs, which have increased 
everything from Christmas presents to housing costs, trying to get 
timber, electricity--you name it.
  Millions of Americans are now going to have to decide, Do I extend my 
health coverage or can I pay my rent or my electricity bill? Can I put 
food on the table?
  I heard all over my State about this, particularly in the rural 
areas. Do you know why? Because 27 percent of farmers and ranchers are 
on these Affordable Care Act plans. In my State, it is called MNsure.
  Like DeNae and Mike in St. Cloud--not in the metropolitan area of the 
Twin Cities--but they are business owners of a small business. They say 
they are already ``struggling with rising costs'' and will now see 
their premiums double.
  Or Jody in Windom, MN, who will have to pay more than triple her 
coverage for her and her husband next year as her premiums go from $500 
to $1,800 per month.
  Susan from St. Paul told me these massive increases are ``truly 
crippling'' her family budget.
  In Mankato, Desirea--where my in-laws live in Mankato--has already 
sacrificed her own educational and career goals to pay for healthcare 
for her kids. Now she says she is ``trying to figure out how to pay for 
healthcare'' for her family and worried families like hers will be 
``financially ruined,'' in her words.
  Dan from Red Wing said families like his ``don't know what they will 
do.'' Some will take on second jobs, if they can find them. Some will 
take on debt to keep their coverage. Some may be forced to drop 
coverage altogether.
  Karen from Moorehead, on the border of North Dakota, told me:

       I am very fearful that I will lose my insurance because of 
     not being able to afford it.

  It is not just in Minnesota. In fact, more than three-fourths of the 
people who get healthcare through this Marketplace live in States that 
President Trump won.
  So that is why--talk about a reasonable idea to our Republican 
colleagues--when three-fourths of the policyholders are in States that 
Donald Trump won. That has been our focus.
  I would do other things. I would do more on prescription drug 
negotiation. I would do something about a public option. I would do 
many other things to make this better. But for right now, we are 
dealing with now.
  Earlier this year, we marked the 60th anniversary of Medicaid and 
Medicare. More than 110 million Americans depend on these programs. And 
we know that we should be strengthening care and not undermining it. 
But right now, I urge my colleagues to join us in simply extending 
these healthcare tax credits. As one of my farmers put it, he is facing 
a ``perfect storm of ugly.'' The tariffs have dried up his markets 
overseas. His input costs for parts for his equipment are too 
expensive. And now there is this healthcare plan that he didn't see 
coming.
  He didn't believe that when President Trump had promised that he 
would reduce costs, that he would be seeing a doubling of his 
healthcare premiums.
  It is time to work together to do with what we all know will keep 
costs down for families. Instead of sending $20 billion to Argentina, 
maybe we could spend it here to help our constituents afford their 
healthcare. That would be at least about 1 year--$24 billion for 1 
year. That was $20 billion.
  Budgets are decisions about values and what you value.
  It is time for our colleagues to not just say what they are saying 
behind closed doors, but they should vote their constituents and vote 
with us to help with their healthcare premiums.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader whip.

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