Posted in

Why Democrats are casting the government shutdown as a health care showdown

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) holds a news conference at the U.S. Capitol Building on October 3, 2025 in Washington, DC. The federal government shut down early Wednesday after Congress and the White House failed to reach a funding deal.

Democrats are pressuring Republicans to extend billions of dollars in federal tax credits that have dramatically lowered premiums and contributed to record-low rates of uninsured Americans.

(Image credit: Kevin Dietsch)