U.S. Representative Terri Sewell, D-Alabama, released the following statement Wednesday after House Republicans failed to extend the Affordable Care Act, ACA, enhanced premium tax credits which expire on December 31:
“Republicans in Congress have had every opportunity to extend the ACA tax credits and prevent millions of Americans from seeing their health care costs double. Instead, Republicans chose to rush through a last-minute proposal before skipping town for the holidays that does nothing to address the crisis they caused. Not only does their bill fail to extend the tax credits, but it also pushes thousands of Americans into junk health care plans that cost more and cover less.
“At a time when families are already struggling to make ends meet, 130,000 more Alabamians are about to lose their health insurance as a direct result of Republican incompetence. Many will find themselves one diagnosis away from bankruptcy.
“House Democrats are not giving up. We are working to force a vote on a bill to extend the ACA. Stay tuned!”
More than 477,000 Alabamians rely on the ACA tax credits to afford their monthly health insurance premiums. The expiration of these credits will cause health care premiums to double, on average, and will force an estimated 130,000 Alabamians to lose their health insurance altogether.
On Wednesday, a discharge petition led by Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries received the 218 signatures necessary to force a vote on a three-year clean extension of the ACA tax credits.
Sewell has called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring that legislation to the floor immediately.
