Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said Wednesday he believes Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., would engage in "sincere" discussions about extending enhanced tax credits under the Affordable Care Act once the government reopens.
Fetterman told hosts Cory Smith and Hillary Howard on "Sunrise on the Hill" that keeping the government running and protecting the expanded ACA subsidies should be simultaneous priorities.
"Two things must be true at this time: Keeping the government open is our core responsibility as a senator — I mean, that must be open — and then we would negotiate to extend those tax credits," Fetterman said. "I do believe that Majority Leader Thune is an honorable guy, and I do believe we could have a sincere conversation about that."
Fetterman, who also reaffirmed his support for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has recently said he supports the GOP's use of the so-called "nuclear option" to pass a government funding bill by a simple majority rather than the usual 60-vote threshold.
Democrats have withheld support for the Republican plan, arguing it must include an extension of the ACA's enhanced subsidies before they agree to reopen the government.
The tax credits, which lower health insurance premiums for millions of Americans, were first expanded in 2021 under the American Rescue Plan and later extended through 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act. If Congress fails to renew them, premiums could rise sharply next year, affecting families across political lines.
A recent analysis by the nonprofit KFF found that about 77 percent of ACA marketplace enrollees, roughly 18.7 million of the 24.3 million Americans covered, live in states that voted for President Donald Trump in the 2024 election. Many of those states saw the greatest enrollment growth and received the largest share of premium tax credits.
Polling from KFF also shows broad public support for continuing the subsidies: 78 percent of adults say Congress should extend them, including 92 percent of Democrats, 82 percent of independents and 59 percent of Republicans.
A group of front-line House Republicans on Tuesday urged Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to "immediately" address the expiring ACA credits once the government reopens.
"I do believe many of their constituents are going to be impacted by the premiums," Fetterman said. "And I do believe enough of them are going to be willing to figure out a way to fix this."
The enhanced credits were designed to make health coverage more affordable for middle-income Americans who do not qualify for Medicaid but struggle to pay full-price premiums.
Without congressional action, experts warn of significant premium spikes and possible coverage losses, particularly in states that have not expanded Medicaid.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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