Democrats and Republicans need to find common ground on the short-term spending bill to keep the government open. The good news there’s still time before the September 30th deadline. However, yesterday, Republicans said they will reject new demands from Democrats who are concerned the bill will lead to *** spike in healthcare costs for millions of Americans. That’s why Democrats want the package to extend subsidies for low and middle income individuals who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act and reverse Medicaid cuts that were included in Republicans’ big beautiful bill enacted earlier this year. House Democrats have been clear that we will not support. *** partisan Republican spending bill. That continues to gut. The health care of the American people. That’s not *** clean continuing resolution. It’s *** dirty spending bill. They’re also demanding that we include unrelated health insurance tax credit provisions. That is *** December policy issue, not *** September funding issue. The House is expected to vote before the end of the week on this spending bill to keep federal agencies open through November 21st. If it passes, then it moves to the Senate and then heads to the president’s desk to be signed on Capitol Hill. I’m Rachel Herzheimer.
Democrats demand health care changes to vote to keep government open
House Republicans are working to pass a spending bill before the September 30 deadline, but disagreements with Democrats over health care provisions could lead to a government shutdown.
Updated: 4:58 AM PDT Sep 18, 2025
House Republicans are racing to finalize a short-term spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, with Democrats concerned about health care provisions potentially leading to increased costs for millions of Americans.The bill aims to keep federal agencies funded through Nov. 21, but Democrats want it to include extensions of subsidies for low- and middle-income individuals purchasing health insurance through the Affordable Care Act and to reverse Medicaid cuts from a previous Republican bill. “House Democrats have been clear that we will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the health care of the American people,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic minority leader. “That’s not a clean continuing resolution. It’s a dirty spending bill.”House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson countered, saying, “They’re also demanding that we include unrelated health insurance tax credit provisions. That is a December policy issue. Not a September funding issue.””What our bill says is control, rising costs, which American people hate, fix health care, which the Republican, Big Beautiful Bill decimated, and the American people, I believe, will side with us because we are on their side. The Republican bill is not,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.Tens of millions of dollars have also been added to the package to boost security for lawmakers, members of the Supreme Court, and the executive branch. It’s receiving more support since the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. This includes extending funding for a security program that started after the deadly attack on two Minnesota lawmakers in June. The House is expected to vote on the spending bill before the end of the week. If it passes with a majority, it will move on to the Senate before it can be signed into law by the president.Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:
WASHINGTON —
House Republicans are racing to finalize a short-term spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, with Democrats concerned about health care provisions potentially leading to increased costs for millions of Americans.
The bill aims to keep federal agencies funded through Nov. 21, but Democrats want it to include extensions of subsidies for low- and middle-income individuals purchasing health insurance through the Affordable Care Act and to reverse Medicaid cuts from a previous Republican bill.
“House Democrats have been clear that we will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the health care of the American people,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic minority leader. “That’s not a clean continuing resolution. It’s a dirty spending bill.”
House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson countered, saying, “They’re also demanding that we include unrelated health insurance tax credit provisions. That is a December policy issue. Not a September funding issue.”
“What our bill says is control, rising costs, which American people hate, fix health care, which the Republican, Big Beautiful Bill decimated, and the American people, I believe, will side with us because we are on their side. The Republican bill is not,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.
Tens of millions of dollars have also been added to the package to boost security for lawmakers, members of the Supreme Court, and the executive branch. It’s receiving more support since the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. This includes extending funding for a security program that started after the deadly attack on two Minnesota lawmakers in June.
The House is expected to vote on the spending bill before the end of the week. If it passes with a majority, it will move on to the Senate before it can be signed into law by the president.
Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau: