Better late than never.
In a stinging rebuke of Donald ‘I have concepts of a health care plan’ Trump and Mike ‘Holy Roller Hypocrite’ Johnson, the House of Representatives, with 17 Republican defections, passed a three-year extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)/Obamacare subsidies.
It is very unfortunate that thanks to Mr. Johnson’s stonewalling by keeping the House out of session that people, mostly in red states, are already seeing higher health insurance bills than last year.
Talk about eating your own.
The extension now goes to the Senate where it faces an uncertain fate.
All six of Arizona’s House Republicans decided to vote against their constituents and screw them from getting lower health insurance bills.
So much for working to reduce prices for the voter on day one.
Arizona’s Democratic Congressional Delegation, and candidates looking to defeat Republican House candidates in the 2026 elections, offered their perspectives on this must pass legislation for the American People.
In the post below, Representative Yassamin Ansari chastised the Arizona Republicans who voted against their constituents.
Representative Adelita Grijalva wrote:
“The 3-year extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits didn’t happen by accident. It happened because Democrats put Republicans’ feet to the fire. Let me be absolutely clear: Democrats have always stood for affordable healthcare, and we will never stop fighting to protect it. Now it’s time for Senate Republicans to do their job. Millions of Americans—including 400,000 Arizonans are watching. Act accordingly.”
Representative Greg Stanton offered:
“The last thing Arizonans need right now are higher prices. But as of January 1st, more than 400,000 Arizonans have watched their monthly health care premiums go through the roof. That’s why I joined every House Democrat, and a few pragmatic Republicans to pass a 3-year extension of ACA health care tax credits to keep health care costs low for the American people.”
Senator Mark Kelly implored Senate Republican leadership to put the House bill on the floor, posting:
“We can stop health care premiums from skyrocketing. Millions of Americans are now counting on Senate Republicans to do the right thing and help us extend these ACA tax credits.”
So did Senator Ruben Gallego:
“House Democrats and 17 Republicans just came together to pass a 3-year extension of the ACA subsidies. Now it’s time for my Republican colleagues in the Senate to step up and send this bill to the President’s desk. 24 million Americans are counting on us.”
In press releases, House Candidates for Congressional Districts Six, One, and Two, JoAnna Mendoza, Marlene Galán-Woods, and Jonathan Nez offered condemnation for Republicans Juan Ciscomani, David Schweikert, and Eli Crane for voting against the subsidies.
Mendoza wrote:
“It is clear Juan Ciscomani does not have what it takes to fight for the people of Arizona,” said Mendoza. “Juan Ciscomani is too spineless to stand up to his party, even when Arizonans’ healthcare is at risk. Families are already paying more for their healthcare, rural hospitals are on the brink, and seniors, veterans, and working families are finding it even harder to afford the basics – but Ciscomani clearly doesn’t care.”
Galán-Woods conveyed:
“Here in Arizona’s 1st District, hardworking Arizonans have already seen their healthcare premiums more than double while the vast majority of Republicans stood by and failed to act. I applaud those who joined Democrats to force today’s vote and demonstrate that, despite Mike Johnson’s best efforts, bipartisanship is still possible.
Winning the House is imperative. With a Democratic majority in the House and leaders focused on delivering for their constituents rather than serving partisan interests, we can finally make Congress work for the American people and deliver much needed relief for hardworking families.”
Nez relayed:
“Congressman Crane is completely out of touch with what rural Arizonans are facing. If Crane lived here and was actually listening to the people he’s supposed to represent, he would know just how devastating his agenda is to families already struggling to make ends meet.
Rural Arizonans are good people who don’t ask much of their government, just that their representatives put their interests first — even if it means having the courage to go against your own party.
Today, other Republicans showed that courage, but Rep. Eli “Higher Costs” Crane made clear that he cares more about pleasing the insurance companies, his donors, and his party than he does about delivering for rural Arizona.”
Discover more from Blog for Arizona
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
One thing this whole drama illustrates is that Democrats have to propose legislation and prepare public opinion for what comes AFTER the ACA. Most Republicans are going to continue thier hostility toward the ACA, regardless of what happens under Trump. And they are not wrong in their critiques of the ACA (though, of course, for the wrong reasons), that private insurers are wasteful and have fatally compromised incentives in the market.
We have to be ready to move on a new majority with a bold legislative proposal that guarantees coverage to even more Americans (or better, ALL Americans), and marginalizes and pressures the expensive, for profit private insurers with a public option that directly competes in the open market to hold down prices and provide competition where there is too often nearly no actual competition. Most counties in America have an average of only 3 competitors, and 10% of counties have only ONE! We have a severe lack of competition in the health insurance space due largely to mergers and acquisitions allowed by a quiescent DOJ not enforcing federal compettion requirements. Trump is never going to prioritize market competition; his DOJ is too busy with political retribution. This problem needs to addressed head on by Democrats as an affordability crisis in healthcare.