Congressional Democrats won’t get any help from U.S. Sen. John Fetterman as they risk a government shutdown in a bid to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies.
The Braddock Democrat, who has a habit of breaking with his party at inopportune times, said Tuesday his philosophical opposition to shutdowns comes before his support for the Affordable Care Act tax credits.
“I enthusiastically support extending the ACA tax credits,” Fetterman posted to X. “I’ll never vote to shut our government down over that or any reason. It’s a core responsibility of Congress to maintain a functioning government and I refuse to hold it as hostage.”
His office did not immediately return a request for comment.
Fetterman has been consistent in his dim view of budget battles.
When a possible shutdown loomed in March, he was one of nine senators in his party who voted to advance a Republican-authored stopgap funding bill.
He voted against the final bill, but his help bringing it to the Senate floor infuriated some Democrats who thought their party should have sought concessions from Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress.
That funding plan expires Sept. 30.
But this time, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries are gearing up for a showdown centered on the party’s health care priorities.
A Democratic alternative to the Republican funding plan released Wednesday would permanently extend enhanced health insurance premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act that are set to expire at the end of the year.
Congress established the more robust tax credits in 2021 as a covid-19 relief measure. They expanded the number of people who could get discounts on their monthly premiums and further slashed costs for those already eligible.
If the enhanced subsidies sunset, Pennsylvania’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, Pennie, estimates 450,000 of its 500,000 users would see pricier premiums.
About 150,000 of those people would drop coverage altogether.
On Monday, Fetterman told reporters extending the enhanced subsidies should be a “standalone” measure. It’s not clear if that’s realistic, even as a handful of Republicans have shown interest in an extension.
Pennie Executive Director Devon Trolley previously told TribLive she views the funding bill as “the last date to extend these in order to keep affordable coverage in place,” since open enrollment starts Nov. 1.
Democrats are also proposing to restore nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid caused by President Donald Trump’s Fourth of July megabill.
Fetterman is taking heat for his perceived weakness on these health care issues.
The Service Employees International Union plans to deliver a letter to Fetterman’s office Friday with signatures from more than 100 health care workers demanding he fight to reverse Medicaid cuts and preserve enhanced Obamacare subsidies.
“I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do without health insurance,” said Lynn Weidner, 42, a home care worker from Allentown who said she won’t be able to afford coverage without the larger tax credit.
Weidner, a registered Democrat, hopes to deliver Fetterman a message tomorrow: “There are consequences to your actions.”
Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pittsburgh, will also be getting a letter from the union, though Fetterman is its primary target. McCormick’s office did not return a request for comment.