[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 211 (Monday, December 15, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8702-S8703]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               HEALTHCARE

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, on an unrelated matter, America's health 
system is in critical condition. In 17 days, 22 million Americans will 
be asked to pay double or triple for their current health insurance 
premiums. Rural hospitals will be facing closure, small businesses 
won't be able to cover expenses, and more than 4 million Americans will 
lose their insurance if we fail to do anything in Congress.
  Last Thursday, Senate Democrats put forward a bill to prevent this 
catastrophe. Our bill would have provided a clean extension of the 
Affordable Care Act's enhanced premium tax credits, which 22 million 
Americans rely on to help them pay their insurance premiums. These 
credits expire at the end of this year.
  But too many Senate Republicans voted against extending them and, 
instead, rushed a vote on a partisan proposal that would upend the 
Affordable Care Act and the American healthcare system, less than a 
month before the

[[Page S8703]]

insurance premiums spike. Their bill, which was introduced last week, 
has never been debated in committee, and no Member had a chance to 
amend it.
  I say this to my friends on the other side of the aisle: You are in 
the majority. You have the power to set matters for a congressional 
hearing. You have the power to go through a serious process to reform 
healthcare. You are in the majority.
  But, first, we need triage. First, we have to stabilize the patient. 
Americans who are about to pay thousands of additional dollars cannot 
wait as Republicans attempt to change the entire healthcare system in a 
week.
  Four Senate Republicans understood this and voted with all the 
Democrats to extend these tax credits. I thank them for their singular 
political courage.
  Each additional day we delay an extension of the enhanced premium tax 
credits, more Americans forgo their health insurance because it is just 
too darn expensive.
  Time is running out.
  I recently spoke to a waitress at Lou Mitchell's restaurant in 
Chicago--in downtown Chicago, across from the train station. She is 
personally worried that she will not be able to afford her healthcare 
next year without the enhanced premium tax credits. She sees her health 
insurance bill doubling or more.
  This waitress does not care about who is winning the political fight 
in Washington. She cares about whether she and her family can pay for 
their doctors' appointments and medications.
  I want to go back to that restaurant soon and tell my friend that the 
Senate did something to help her. We can help her, so long as we act on 
a bipartisan basis.
  If you don't like our proposal for a clean, 3-year extension, counter 
it with a reasonable offer. Show that there is a beating heart that 
cares to address the real problems Americans face. Let us come together 
and give American families the gift of health coverage they can afford 
for Christmas.

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