[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 5 (Thursday, January 8, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H144-H145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       ACA TAX CREDITS EXTENSION

  (Ms. Pressley of Massachusetts was recognized to address the House 
for 5 minutes.)

[[Page H145]]

  

  Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today carrying the voices and the 
lives of the people in the Massachusetts Seventh whose survival depends 
on the Affordable Care Act tax credits: the grandmother skipping meals 
to pay for her prescriptions; the young mom lying awake at night 
wondering how she will afford her baby's asthma inhaler if premiums go 
up; families like Deborah's in Boston, staring down premiums that will 
double while they care for loved ones, serve their community, and do 
everything right.
  These are not abstract numbers. These are real people with real lives 
and real fears about whether they will be able to see a doctor, fill a 
prescription, or keep their families healthy.
  In my district alone, 29,000 people will be forced to pay more for 
healthcare if Congress fails to act, and up to 35,000 could lose their 
coverage entirely.
  This is a shameful policy choice. It is a choice, a choice by my 
colleagues across the aisle, and it is a violent one at that.
  Let me tell you more about Deborah. Her family buys insurance through 
the Massachusetts Health Connector. Right now, for a family of five, 
they pay just over $1,000 a month. If these ACA tax credits expire, 
they will pay nearly $2,000 a month for an even worse plan, and that 
doesn't even include their daughter, who has aged out of the plan, is 
underpaid in her job, and whose premiums they will have to help cover.
  Deborah told me they are fortunate they can afford it, but that 
affordability does come at a cost. Between paying for their premiums, 
their son's college tuition, and caring for her disabled sister, 
Deborah's husband, a dedicated public defender, now works weekends just 
to keep up.
  As Deborah told me: Even work you love shouldn't require you to give 
up every day of your life just to survive.
  Mr. Speaker, Deborah's story is no anomaly. It is the reality for 
millions of families across this country, and this crisis did not 
happen by accident. No, this is manufactured, man-made. It was 
manufactured by an occupant of the Oval Office and a Republican Party 
that is hell-bent on making families poorer, sicker, hungrier, and less 
safe. It is the same party that was content to let these lifesaving tax 
credits expire until Democrats had to force them to vote on a clean 3-
year extension. That is the shame and the sham of it all.

  Dr. King once profoundly said: ``Of all the forms of inequality, 
injustice in health is the most shocking and inhumane because it often 
results in physical death.'' His words still ring true today.
  Mr. Speaker, healthcare isn't a nice-to-have. It is a fundamental 
human right. It is a matter of life and death.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to do right by the people who sent 
them here and join us in passing this extension before it is too late.


                  Congratulating Randolph Blue Devils

  Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Massachusetts 
Seventh's very own Super Bowl champions, the Randolph High School Blue 
Devils.
  Showcasing electric offense and stifling defense, the Blue Devils 
shut out West Boylston at Gillette Stadium, capping off an undefeated 
season with another championship.
  These student-athletes have made their school and families proud and 
proven to themselves and the Commonwealth that the town of Randolph has 
the talent, commitment, and the tenacity to succeed on and off the 
field.
  I thank Superintendent Stovell Herndon, Principal Licorish, Head 
Coach Jon Marshall, the players, and the entire team for putting 
teamwork on display at the highest level.
  Congratulations on earning the Division 8 Super Bowl title. Go, Blue 
Devils.


                        In Memory of Alice Wong

  Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and 
legacy of Alice Wong. Alice was a civil rights and disability justice 
activist who called the question that changed the conversation. She 
stoked our consciousness, built community, and saved lives.
  She was a published author, community organizer, and a beloved 
friend. Alice was unapologetic in her pursuit of building a more just 
world and shining a light on issues society hesitated to address. She 
saw the humanity of everyone and spoke about intersectionality from her 
hometown to Capitol Hill to Gaza to the border. She affirmed that 
mutual aid was not a nice to have, but a lifeline.
  She loved science fiction as it gave her the ability to think of a 
world where choices weren't limited because of a person's disability. 
She gave us all permission and fortitude to dream of what is possible.
  Mr. Speaker, Alice is already deeply missed, and her legacy carries 
on.

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