Tell Republicans: Don’t Shut Down the Government

Republicans in Congress are once again threatening to shut down the federal government — and this time, the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, hangs in the balance. They are trying to make health care much more expensive for the American people — and threatening to shut down the entire federal government at the end of September if they don’t get their way.

The urgency is real. The enhanced ACA premium tax credits Republicans want to eliminate help 24 million Americans afford coverage by capping premiums at 8.5% of income. If they expire, premiums could spike by 75% on average — up to 90% in rural areas — and 4 million more people could lose insurance.

A shutdown would deepen these harms. Delayed paychecks for federal workers, paused or disrupted services that people depend on — veterans’ health care, Social Security payments, public safety functions — would feel the consequences immediately.

For too long working families have paid the price while Congress plays brinkmanship. The threat of shuttering government offices or delaying essential services over disputes about policy must not become the norm.

We demand that Republicans in Congress keep the government open, protect the enhanced tax credits that make health care affordable, and stop endangering the coverage of millions. Do not force a shutdown. Do not allow health care to be sacrificed in the name of political games.