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US President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill on Wednesday, ending the 43-day shutdown. This bill was passed by the House of Representatives (lower house) by a margin of 222-209.
However, it made no promise to extend premium tax credits for health care program ACA subsidies (Obama Care subsidies), which expire on December 31, 2025. This bill has already been passed in the Senate (Upper House).
This bill will provide funding to the government till January 31. Under the bill, agencies would be prevented from laying off employees until January 31.
At the same time, some Democratic leaders have announced to continue the fight to increase tax credits for ACA subsidies. He said- This fight is not over yet, we will keep fighting.
Speaker Mike Johnson issuing a statement after the bill was passed on Wednesday.
Republican MP said – Shutdown is like a TV show
This voting democrats New Jersey and Arizona This comes eight days after winning the high-profile elections in . Many in the party believed this would strengthen the prospects for extending health insurance subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year.
Although the agreement promised to vote on these subsidies in the Senate in December, no such promise has been made in the House. Republican MP David Schweikert called it a TV show in which more than 40 days passed but the real issue was not understood.
While Democrat Congressman Mickey Sherrill said the House should not become a rubber stamp of Trump who is taking away food and treatment from children, and appealed to the country not to give up.
Democrats announced to continue the fight
After the House passed the funding bill Wednesday night, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar issued a joint statement saying they will fight to extend for three years these credits, which make health insurance cheaper for poor and middle-class Americans.
Hakeem Jeffries said, ‘This fight is not over yet. We are just getting started. We will fight today, we will fight tomorrow, we will fight this week, we will fight next week, we will fight this month, we will fight next month, we will fight until we win this battle for the American people.
He appealed to Republican leaders to work together on health policies.
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaking in the House.
Trump said – I will solve it together as soon as the government opens
Trump told reporters at the White House, ‘It looks like the shutdown is about to end.’ But he called the ACA subsidies (Obama Care subsidies) ‘profit for health insurance companies and a disaster for the American people’ on Truth Social.
Trump says that instead of subsidies, people should be given the facility to buy insurance of their choice by giving them money directly. He wrote, “I am ready to solve this problem by working with both parties as soon as the government is inaugurated.”
People protest with American flags waving in front of the US Capitol on November 7, following the US government shutdown in Washington.
Controversy over Obama Care subsidies
- There was a dispute between Democrats and Republicans regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
- This act was passed in 2010 during the tenure of Barack Obama. That’s why it came to be called ‘Obama Care’.
- Under this, the government provides financial assistance (subsidy) to low and middle income Americans to purchase health insurance.
- This assistance is provided to families whose income is between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty line.
- People’s subsidies are ending at the end of this year. Democrats are demanding to increase it.
- Donald Trump and the Republican Party believe that these subsidies give unnecessary benefits to health insurance companies.
- Trump argues that the government should give money directly to citizens so that they can buy the insurance of their choice, not through companies.
- Democrats say if these subsidies were eliminated or reduced, insurance premiums for millions of Americans would skyrocket, and many would drop out of coverage.
93% Americans benefited from subsidies
ACA credits have helped approximately 22-24 million Americans, 93% of whom received benefits. According to a report, if these credits are eliminated, the average monthly premium will increase from $888 to $1,904 in 2026, more than doubling.
There is no clear response from the Republican side yet, but they are considering alternative proposals like Health Savings Accounts (HSA), while Trump has talked about giving them ‘directly to the people’.
till 30 january ban on firing employees
The bill prohibits federal agencies from laying off employees until January 30. This is a major victory for federal workers unions and will stop Trump’s campaign to reduce the federal workforce.
At the beginning of Trump’s second term, there were 22 lakh civilian federal employees. At least 3 lakh employees may be out of Trump’s down-sizing policy by the end of this year.
The bill would also give back pay to all federal employees (military, Border Patrol agents and air traffic controllers).
A funding bill was passed in America on Wednesday, which will end the shutdown.
The longest shutdown in US history
It has been 43 days since the shutdown started in America on October 1. This is the longest shutdown in US history. Earlier, during the first term of President Trump, government work was stalled for 35 days in 2018.
Due to the shutdown, food stamp (SNAP) assistance of 42 million (42 million) Americans has been stopped. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has only $5 billion in reserve funds for this program, while $9.2 billion will be needed to continue food stamps in November.
According to the Washington-based Bipartisan Policy Center, so far 6.7 lakh government employees have been sent on leave, while 7.3 lakh employees are working without salary. In this way, about 14 lakh people are running their homes by taking loans.
Trump is not ready to increase the subsidy of the health care program, due to which the funding bill is not being passed in the Senate, the upper house of the US Parliament. Voting has taken place on this bill 14 times so far, but each time the required 60 votes for majority could not be obtained.
impact of shutdown
- On staff: About 7.5 lakh government employees are on leave without salary. Essential employees like army, police, border security and air traffic controllers have to work without salary.
- Air Travel and Food Programme: Flights are being delayed and lower income families are at increasing risk of not receiving food assistance.
- Food program stopped: Food stamp (SNAP) assistance for 42 million Americans has been halted. The government does not have the necessary funds
- Atomic Weapons Agency: The National Nuclear Security Agency has sent 1,400 employees on leave. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said two weeks ago that this had never happened before and could affect the security of nuclear weapons.
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