During an interview with New Hampshire Public Radio on Monday, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) responded to a question on what Democrats got out of the government shutdown deal by saying, “one of the things I think we did during the shutdown is to highlight for the American people who’s fighting to extend these premium tax credits” and keep costs lower.
Host Rick Ganley asked, “Failed negotiations over extending enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies are what initially led to this shutdown. This deal does not include an extension of those subsidies, which your party had been insisting on. So, after 40-plus days, what did Democrats really get out of this deal?”
Shaheen answered, “Well, one of the things I think we did during the shutdown is to highlight for the American people who’s fighting to extend these premium tax credits and keep costs — keep the costs of health insurance affordable. We are going to continue that fight. That’s part of what this deal does, is it gives us the opportunity to have a vote on the floor of the Senate in December, no later than mid-December, on a bill that we will write. And since we don’t control the Senate or the House, we’re pleased to do that, to be able to continue the fight. And, hopefully, our Republican colleagues will understand — and many of them seem to — that this is an issue, not just for Democrats, but it’s an issue for Independents and Republicans, and that they need to come to the table and help us address it. That’s what we will stay focused on from now until that December vote, and from now until next year, when we have the midterm elections.”
Later, she added that there are protections for government workers who were laid off during the shutdown going forward.
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