Rep. Sharice Davids encourages House vote on extending tax credit for health insurance

Sen. Jerry Moran seeks to insulate FAA; Rep. Ron Estes hunts CBO transparency

By TIM CARPENTER

Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas joined five dozen colleagues requesting a House vote on legislation extending federal tax credits set to expire at the end of December that were implemented to moderate Affordable Care Act insurance costs.

In the letter signed by 59 lawmakers and sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson, the coalition said a bill preserving the tax credit would allow more than 24 million Americans in the ACA to avoid substantial premium increases in 2026. Sky-high premiums could prompt as many as 4 million people to drop health coverage.

Davids said 160,000 Kansans relied on federal tax credits last year to save an average of $700 annually on health care premiums.

"Families in Kansas and across the country are staring down massive health care price hikes because Congress hasn't done its job," said Davids, the Democrat representing the 3rd District in the Kansas City area. "Republican leadership in the Senate has already promised a vote to extend ACA tax credits. There is no excuse for the House to stall any longer."

Davids said a bipartisan majority in the House support action to mitigate rising health care costs. While Democrats have sought a tax-credit extension, Republicans complained the credits were costly to the government and helped boost insurance company profits. The Congressional Budget Office estimated it would cost the $350 billion in the next decade if the subsidy were extended.

"Inaction here will decimate millions of Americans' budgets and force impossible decisions between receiving necessary care and other basic needs," the letter said.

Moran: Aviation shutdown

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, chairman of the Senate Aviation, Space and Innovation Subcommittee, said the 43-day government shutdown inhibited operation of the Federal Aviation Administration, caused widespread flight delays and interrupted an estimated $6 billion in travel spending.

Moran convened a Senate hearing to lay the groundwork for legislation capable of shielding the industry during government shutdowns.

"We convened this hearing because of the importance of the aviation and travel industry, a vital component of our nation's economy," Moran said. "We must do our part to enable the FAA and the Department of Transportation to make certain that America remains the standard for aviation and air safety."

In March, the Kansas Republican introduced a bill that would insulate the FAA by making emergency funding available for critical operations and to pay air traffic controllers.

"When Congress fails to act, the FAA and the aviation industry suffer," Moran said. "The people who work in the airports and in aviation cannot further afford the instability and chaos."

The U.S. Travel Association reported more than $6 billion in travel spending was lost because of the inability of aircraft to fly as a result of the shutdown.

Moran said he was pleased the problem with flight delays had eased ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. A record 31 million passengers were expected to fly from Nov. 21 to Dec. 1. The busiest days were expected to be Sunday Nov. 30 and Monday Dec. 1.

Estes: CBO transparency

U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, a Kansas Republican serving the Wichita area, said transparency and accuracy of the Congressional Budget Office was essential to the federal legislative process.

During a House budget committee hearing, Estes told CBO director Phillip Swagel that reports issued by the office had a dramatic impact on bills in the House and Senate. CBO, which operates as designated budget scorekeeper, influenced public perception of legislation, Estes said.

"We need to make sure that CBO works to improve scores, to actually make sure that they align with reality," Estes said. "Unfortunately, as we've talked about previously in the committee room, CBO sometimes falls short of making those good estimates that help us make decisions."

Estes said an example was the CBO's estimate on the 2022 Inflation Adjustment Act, which focused on health care, climate and taxes, and was signed by President Joe Biden. Estes and GOP U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann and Jake LaTurner of Kansas voted against the bill. Davids voted for it.

Estes said the CBO's initial report said the energy and climate provisions of the bill would cost $391 billion. Credit Suisse concluded the cost was closer to $800 billion, he said.

"My struggle, and I think a lot of our struggle, is that we're literally making trillion-dollar decisions based on this information, so we want to make sure it's the best possible," he said.