U.S. Reps. Rob Bresnahan (R-PA) and Jen Kiggans (R-VA) joined 11 of their Republican colleagues in underscoring the urgent need for Congress to pass a short-term continuing resolution so the federal government may reopen.
On Sept. 19, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government until Nov. 21 that has been stuck in the U.S. Senate ever since. For the legislation to pass the Senate — which is made up of 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats — 60 votes are needed.
“Every day the shutdown continues to hurt the very people we were elected to serve,” the lawmakers wrote in an Oct. 21 letter sent to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA). “Keeping the government closed helps no one and undermines the safety and stability of our country.”
The members also wrote that they “firmly believe” that the government funding debate is not the time or place to address healthcare issues.
“Using the shutdown as leverage to force that debate only prolongs the harm and distracts from the immediate task of reopening the government,” wrote the lawmakers.
The GOP representatives wrote that once the government is reopened, lawmakers should immediately turn their focus to the growing crisis of healthcare affordability and the looming expiration of the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits.
“Millions of Americans are facing drastic premium increases due to short-sighted Democratic policymaking,” they wrote. “While we did not create this crisis, we now have both the responsibility and the opportunity to address it.”
Rep. Kiggans issued a separate statement this week to reiterate that point, noting that the priority is to end the shutdown.
“Once that’s resolved, we must immediately turn our attention to the growing crisis of healthcare affordability,” Kiggans said. “Millions of Americans are facing steep premium hikes if the expanded ACA premium tax credits are allowed to abruptly expire.”
On Sept. 4, the congresswoman sponsored the Bipartisan Premium Tax Credit Extension Act, H.R. 5145, alongside 14 original cosponsors, including Rep. Bresnahan and U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY), to extend the ACA premium tax credits.
“Because helping Americans afford health care isn’t a partisan issue, it’s a people issue,” she said.
Among the members who joined Rep. Bresnahan and Rep. Kiggans in signing the letter were U.S. Reps. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Young Kim (R-CA), and David Valadao (R-CA), who are also original cosponsors of H.R. 5145.