DURBIN: IF REPUBLICANS REJECT THE DEMOCRATIC PROPOSAL TO ADDRESS ACA SUBSIDIES, THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WILL KNOW WHICH PARTY ABANDONED THEM

The following information was released by Illinois Senator Richard J. Durbin:

On the Senate floor, Durbin continues to push his Republican colleagues to come to the table and negotiate with Democrats on a solution to address the looming health care crisis

WASHINGTON As open enrollment for 2026 individual market health insurance plans has begun and Americans across the country are facing astronomic increases in their monthly premiums for next year, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor about the health care affordability crisis, caused by congressional Republicans refusing to extend the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits. These tax credits lower health insurance premiums for more than 20 million Americans nationwide, including upwards of 500,000 Illinoisans. Durbin received a commitment from Republican Leader John Thune to put a bill on the Senate floor in December to address the ACA enhanced premium tax credits.

If Republicans vote against extending these enhanced premium tax credits, more than four million Americans are expected to lose their health care coverage, including more than 160,000 people in Illinois. Tens of millions of others will see their monthly premiums double or even triple.

Durbin began his speech by recounting his experience as a young father when he couldn't provide health insurance for his child.

"My wife and I were blessed with a beautiful baby girl. I was going to law school here in Washington, D.C. Turns out our little girl had a serious, serious medical problem. The difficulty I faced was the fact that I had no health insurance. I was a law student, and I ended up going to Children's [National] Hospital here in Washington, D.C., with my wife and our little baby girl, and sat in the charity ward [that] was there for people who could not pay their medical bills and had no health insurance. We waited for the door to open and for our family name to be called out to meet for the first time the doctor who was going to treat my little girl. I never felt more helpless in my life, as a father, to have that baby with that medical problem and to have no health insurance. I'm sure that colored my judgment for the rest of my life and my service for over 40 years in Congress. I have always voted to give families a better chance of having health insurance," Durbin said.

Durbin helped craft the ACA 15 years ago, voted for its passage, and he has defended it from more than 70 Republican attempts to repeal or undermine the law, with congressional Republicans never once offering a comprehensive alternative health care plan.

"I worked hard to pass that bill [the ACA]. It took us a long time and a lot of effort. I was Whip of the Senate Democrats at that point, and I used to go to [Leader] Harry Reid's office several times a day to talk about the next step in passing the Affordable Care Act. The day finally came, and I won't dwell on the details about how we reached it, but we did. Unfortunately, throughout that process, we never, never had one Republican vote of support. We were fortunate enough to have 60 Democrats at the right moment politically to pass the bill in the United States Senate," said Durbin.

"We passed that major legislation roughly 15 years ago, at a time when not a single Republican would support it. Now we're back into a period... when Republicans had a chance, with their own majority, to address the Affordable Care Act, and they started eliminating that health insurance credit. As a consequence, many families, 24 million we believe nationwide, face the prospect that their health insurance premiums are going to be too high and increase dramatically beyond their reach and family income," Durbin continued.

During his speech, Durbin highlighted specific provisions that certain Senate Republicans want to address in regard to extending the ACA subsidies. Durbin reiterated that he is ready to come to the table with his Republican colleagues to address these concerns and put together a proposal to extend the ACA subsidies. Durbin stated he hopes to have the ACA subsidies addressed by the December 12th deadline.

"If we're concerned about the cost of living and family budgets, for goodness sakes, it starts with health care," Durbin said.

Durbin spoke about an Illinois constituentJessa hairstylist in Chicago who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. Jess said that if the tax credits go away, she will be forced to pay more for health care and will have to make a "lifestyle change to pay the difference," potentially picking up more shifts. Jess also worries about a lapse in coverage if the price increase forces her to switch plans. Any gap in coverage could jeopardize her life-saving cancer treatment.

"No American family should face that [decision]. Here's the good news: we as Senators can work together to stop Americans, like Jess, from falling off this looming health care cliff. As part of the bipartisan agreement to end the longest government shutdown in American history, Leader Thune gave me his word he would hold a vote in this chamber on extending these subsidies to Jess and others who desperately need help," Durbin said.

"Last week, reports emerged from the White House about plans to release a proposal that would extend these subsidies for two years. Imagine my surprise. After trying to cut or repeal the Affordable Care Act more than 70 times, he [Trump] promised on the campaign trail he had 'concepts of a plan,' finally, we were to see the details of the Republican health care agenda for America. But congressional Republicans threw cold water on the idea of the President cooperating with Democrats to solve this problem," Durbin continued.

Durbin continued his speech by urging his Republican colleagues to negotiate with Democrats on a deal. If they fail to, Democrats will put their own proposal on the floor.

"The American people will see where each party stands when it comes to families that need a helping hand. If our offer on the Democratic side is rejected, the American public will knowwith every paycheck, with every prescription pickup, with every hospital billwhich party stood on their side and which side didn't. The time to make a [deal] is now. Just 13 days from now is the deadline to enroll or change plans," said Durbin.

Durbin concluded, "When I voted to end the government shutdown, I said I could not wage a political strategy at the expense of my neighbor's paycheck or food for his family. I meant it. But I, too, cannot sit by while 20 million Americans go without gas or groceries in order to pay their health care premiums. This is a question of fundamentalswill you be able to afford the health care you and your family need? Let's get this done on behalf of every American, in red and blue communities alike."