REPUBLICAN SHUTDOWN DAY 7: Senator Murray Blasts Trump and Vought’s Latest Threats, Slams Republicans’ Refusal to Get Serious About Tackling Health Care Costs

10.07.25

Murray: "I know Republican leaders desperately want to ignore the looming health care crisis they caused. They have put their heads in the sand for months. They have spun wild lies to try to bury the truth. And they are hoping that people stop talking about it. But every day, that gets just harder. Because every day, another warning light goes off showing just how devastating it will be if Republicans refuse to extend the ACA tax credits and let people's premiums skyrocket."

KFF : 8 in 10 Americans Say Congress Should Extend the Enhanced ACA Tax Credits Set to Expire Next Year, Including 6 in 10 Republicans

KFF : ACA Marketplace Premium Payments Would More than Double on Average Next Year if Enhanced Premium Tax Credits Expire

***WATCH: Senator Murray's full floor speech***

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor on the seventh day of President Trump and Republicans' shutdown.

Senator Murray's remarks, as delivered, are below:

"Thank you, Mr. President.

[TRUMP THREATS TO NOT PAY BACKPAY IN DEFIANCE OF LAW]

"Let me just start by giving our lawless President and OMB Director a little primer on the letter of the law.

"Because this morning we learned they're plotting to try and rob furloughed federal workers of back pay at the end of this shutdown.

"This flies in the face of the plain text of the law, which could not be more clear.

"President Trump should actually know this: he's caused more shutdowns than any other President after all. And he signed the law that guaranteed their pay.

"This isn't new. This isn't surprising.

"And in fact, the OPM guidance the Administration actually issued last month reaffirmed that furloughed employees will be paid.

"Trump doesn't get to change the rules and rob workers just because he's worried his shutdown is backfiring. Scaring and intimidating workers won't work. He is not fooling anyone.

[REPUBLICANS' HEALTH CARE CRISIS]

"Now, Mr. President, I know Republican Leaders desperately want to ignore the looming health care crisis they caused.

"They have put their heads in the sand for months. They have spun wild lies to try to bury the truth. And they are hoping that people stop talking about it.

"But every day, that gets just harder.

"Because every day, another warning light goes off showing just how devastating it will be if Republicans refuse to extend the ACA tax credits and let people's premiums skyrocket.

"A new Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that seven out of ten families would not be able to afford their coverage if premiums double. And four in ten would likely to just go uninsured.

"That means people will skip basic care, they will skimp on prescriptions, they will miss life-saving treatments.

"And the hard reality is: people will die. People who otherwise would have sought the care they needed.

"To every Republican who thinks they can keep sitting on their hands and waiting this out, you need to understand: this is not some distant crisis you can ignore.

"Premiums are being locked in right now.

"Letters are going out to families announcing shocking price increases this month.

"In Idaho, open enrollment actually starts next week.

"How is that not urgent?

"To every Republican who keeps trying to say, 'we can talk about this later,' later is simply too late.

"And by the way, why wouldn't Republican leaders talk about this earlier?

"We've been asking to fix this for months, and months, and months.

"For all the talk of, 'Oh, we can't discuss health care while government is shut down.'

"Well, you didn't discuss it when government was open, either!

"Where have you been?

"And where are you right now for that matter? House Republicans are not even here, and they have not been here for three weeks.

"I cannot help but note the stark contrast between how little House Republicans seem to care about opening up the government and preventing massive health care hikes, and how much they cared about shoveling trillions in tax breaks at some of richest people in the world earlier this year.

"Where is that urgency now?

"I mean, when the tax breaks for billionaires were set to expire in December, that was the same time as these health care credits expire. Republicans made that priority number one.

"You can bet they fast-tracked relief for the big wigs and fat cats. Because heaven forbid billionaires like Trump have to worry about filling up their private jets!

"But families worried about health care? Republican leaders refuse to talk about it.

"They voted down efforts to save these tax credits three times before government funding was even in question!

"And they have spent the last few weeks saying our insistence on preventing people's premiums from doubling is 'unreasonable.' Unreasonable!

"And even now, the best Republicans can offer is 'later we can maybe, possibly, talk about, potentially doing something someday?'

"That is pretty cold comfort to families who are staring down thousands upon thousands in higher health care costs next year.

"Those premium hikes? They aren't maybe happening someday. They are for real, and they are getting finalized right now.

"If the Republican Leader would rather send us home for the weekend than have a serious conversation, if House Republicans want to keep hiding as far as they can from the negotiating table, if you are going to not talk with us, then I beg my colleagues: at least talk to your constituents. See what this health care crisis looks like for them.

"Because here's the thing Republicans seem especially keen to ignore: this is a problem where inaction will overwhelmingly hurt their own constituents.

"Newsflash for my colleagues: over three-quarters of the families with health care coverage through the ACA marketplace are in red states.

"Do you know which five states will see the highest health care rate hikes next year?

"West Virginia, looking at a 387 percent rate hike for families that rely on ACA tax credits. Wyoming: 382 percent. Alaska: 346 percent rate hike. Tennessee: 320 percent. Mississippi: 314 percent.

"That is five red states where premiums are going to more than quadruple for families that rely on those tax credits.

But you know what, let's keep going!

"Let's do the next five. These are states where the average premium will more than triple for families relying on the tax credits. Texas: 289 percent increase. South Carolina: 285 percent. Alabama: 284 percent. South Dakota: 235 percent. North Dakota: 234 percent.

"So there you have it. The ten states facing the biggest health care increases if Republicans refuse to act are red states.

"And you know what, I can still go on.

"Premiums are going to more than double for families relying on the tax credits in states like Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, literally every other red state.

"So, Mr. President, the bottom line is a lot of people who are going to be hurt if Republicans refuse to save health care and they are represented by Republicans.

"At least they would be represented by Republicans, but our House colleagues nowhere to be found.

"They have been gone for three weeks.

"So, my message to Republican leaders: You need to get serious about opening up the government, and addressing the health care crisis before those premiums double for families across the country.

"You need to get serious now before those higher costs are locked in, and before families back home decide they can't afford to stay covered.

"And you know, even if House Republicans want to hide from the negotiating table, they are not going to be able to hide from this issue.

"Because if they stay home, and refuse to come back to DC to hammer out a solution, the people they represent back home are going to make their voices heard about this.

"They are going to say, "Hey! My monthly premium is going up by over a thousand bucks-monthly premium-what are you doing about it?"

"They are going to say, "Hey! I am going to lose my health care, what am I supposed to do?"

"They are going to say, "Hey! If you care so much about opening the government like you say, if you care so much about lowering costs, why don't you go back and get to work?"

"Mr. President, when that message finally breaks through to all the Republicans who are trying to ignore it, as I think it's clear it is beginning to, here's another message for them: Democrats are still here. We are still at the table. And we are still ready to work together on a bipartisan deal to reopen the government and address this health care crisis."

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