Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., a Democrat from New York, during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"Republicans have created a healthcare crisis all across America. You now have an opportunity to actually take some action by working with Democrats before the Rules Committee this evening to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credit."
Democrats have also introduced several other amendments including a prohibition on blanket firings of federal workers until 2029, a prevention to cuts to Medicaid or Medicare, a restriction to cuts for several federal safety-net programs and more.
Those amendments are almost certain to fail.
The government entered a 42-day shutdown on Oct 1 when Democrats rejected a Republican-led short-term spending bill over unrelated healthcare demands. Democrats led by Jeffries and Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., demanded Congress first consider extending temporary, COVID-era Obamacare subsidies that lawmakers passed in 2021 as an emergency response to the pandemic.
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y, speaks to members of the media as he arrives to a House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee at the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 6, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Eric Lee/Getty)
Democrats at Tuesday’s press conference framed Democrats’ stand on the Obamacare subsidies as a longstanding prioritization of healthcare issues.
"Democrats have been fighting Republicans in a long struggle to provide healthcare to Americans. We have been fighting Republicans when we created Medicare, when we created Medicaid, when we created the Affordable Care Act, and we're not going to give up that fight," Rep. Teresa Fernández said.
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The House of Representatives is set to consider the spending package on Wednesday evening as lawmakers rush back to Washington, D.C. from across the country.
Leo Briceno is a politics reporter for the congressional team at Fox News Digital. He was previously a reporter with World Magazine.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/jeffries-reveals-last-minute-move-extend-covid-era-subsidies-house-shutdown-vote-looms