Warren Takes to Senate Floor in Support of Democratic Counter Offer to Reopen Government

Warren Takes to Senate Floor in Support of Democratic Counter Offer to Reopen Government

Democratic proposal would reopen government and extend health care tax credits for one year while paving path to lower health costs over the long-term

Video of Floor Speech (YouTube)

Washington, D.C. - Following Minority Leader Schumer's unveiling of a new Democratic proposal to reopen the government and prevent premiums from rising astronomically next year, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren took to the Senate Floor to support the plan and call on Republicans to stand up for American families.

"Democrats have asked over and over and over and over to negotiate to help Americans with their health care costs, but Donald Trump and Republicans flatly refused to even talk to Democrats to try to get the government back open. Not even once have the Republicans been willing to negotiate. Not once," said Senator Warren.

Senator Warren called out President Trump for being focused on renovating the Lincoln bathroom, holding a Great Gatsby-themed party, and building a brand new ballroom at the same time Americans are being notified that their health care costs are skyrocketing. President Trump is also weighing the idea of etching corporations' names into the new gold-encrusted ballroom.

At the same time, Republicans in the House of Representatives are now in their seventh straight week of paid vacation. In the Senate, Majority Leader Thune continues to force votes on the same bill over and over but refuses to negotiate any changes to the bill.

Democrats' proposal would reopen the government with a one-year extension of the Affordable Care Act's enhanced premium tax credits that would immediately lower health care costs, while establishing a bipartisan committee to continue negotiations on health care affordability. Senator Warren urged Congressional Republicans to take the commonsense deal.

"It's a common-sense plan that helps people across this country-and that gets our government open. The Senate could do its part to reopen government in less than an hour. We could do it right now, this afternoon. We just have to put the interests of the American people ahead of politics," said Senator Warren.

"People are sick of Washington politics. So we ask our Republican colleagues, help us do what is right for the American people-and help us do it right now," Senator Warren concluded.

Transcript: Senator Warren's Floor Speech on Democrats' Alternative Proposal to Reopen the Government
November 7, 2025
U.S. Senate Floor

Senator Elizabeth Warren: Mr. President, thank you. You know, millions of Americans are counting on Democrats to stop Donald Trump and the Republicans from raising health care costs. And I am here to say Democrats will not back down. Fighting to lower health care costs is a righteous fight.

For too many Americans, health care premiums are going up by hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month. Who has that kind of money?

Just this week, I talked to a woman in Florida, practically in Donald Trump's backyard. She's a wife and a mother of four lively kids, and she is about to lose her health insurance because of the Trump cuts. So what does that mean for her? She has malignant melanoma, and now she is looking at cancelling her ongoing treatments because, once she loses her insurance, she cannot afford treatment for her cancer. That is deeply, deeply wrong.

Democrats are in this fight for the right reasons. And Democrats will stay in this fight for the right reasons.

In July, Congressional Republicans worked hand-in-hand with President Trump on their biggest passion project: jamming through a bill to hand out massive tax cuts to millionaires, billionaires, and giant corporations. And then, just to put a little extra whipped cream on top of their Republican ice cream Sundae, they paid for those billionaire tax cuts by slashing health care coverage for millions of Americans.

Every single Republican voted for it, and every single Democrat voted against it. And when the Republicans voted to cut health care funding last July, Democrats said we cannot sign off on a 2026 budget that cuts health care for millions of Americans. On September 30, the 2025 budget expired, and Democrats were ready to negotiate to get some of those health care cuts reversed in the 2026 budget, but the Republicans didn't want to negotiate. Nope, the Republicans decided they would rather shut down government than offer a single nickel to help Americans manage health care costs.

They told Democrats to vote for the Republican spending bill-take it or leave it. And they have repeated their "take it or leave it" through 15 votes and 38 days.

Now, Democrats have asked over and over and over and over to negotiate to help Americans with their health care costs, but Donald Trump and Republicans flatly refused to even talk to Democrats to try to get the government back open. Not even once have the Republicans been willing to negotiate. Not once.

So where are we now?

Well, Trump tweeted seven times in one day about his brand new marble bathroom at the White House while Americans turned to crowdfunding to pay their health care and grocery bills.

Trump hosted a Great Gatsby-themed party while he turned off food assistance for millions of Americans. You know, the message to 42 million Americans from Donald Trump: eat dirt.

And Trump is weighing the important idea of etching corporations' names into his grand new gold-encrusted ballroom while millions of Americans who lose their health insurance will get sick and be forced to decide whether to give up care altogether or go bankrupt trying to pay for it.

Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress are in disarray. The House is now in its seventh week of paid vacation. They couldn't reopen the government if they wanted to because they aren't even in Washington to vote. They have members-Republican and Democratic members-who want a deal on healthcare, but Speaker Johnson just says, "Nope. Everyone spend another week on paid vacation."

And here on the Senate side, Republicans are in chaos. Leader Thune puts the same bill up over and over for the same votes, but he won't talk about changing a single word. And now, he can't even organize a vote among Republicans to reopen the government. Instead, Republicans are fighting with Republicans over what to do-and still no one says, "Let's help families on health care and get the government open."

So Democrats have put a proposal on the table: lower costs by extending health tax credits for one year, and reopen the government. Do it all in one vote. And, during this next year, we will continue working to make our health care system work better.

It's a common-sense plan that helps people across this country-and that gets our government open. The Senate could do its part to reopen government in less than an hour. We could do it right now, this afternoon. We just have to put the interests of the American people ahead of politics.

Americans are demanding, urging, begging Congress to do something. Do something before Americans are forced to get sicker and sicker before they can get health care. Do something before health care costs go up and up and up for everyone in this country.

People are sick of Washington politics. So we ask our Republican colleagues, help us do what is right for the American people-and help us do it right now.

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