Suozzi-backed effort to resolve shutdown prompts dismissive reaction from House Leader Jeffries
Rep. Tom Suozzi said he would prefer a permanent extension of Obamacare tax credits. Credit: Jeff Bachner
WASHINGTON — A bipartisan bill backed by Long Island Rep. Tom Suozzi that could resolve a key issue behind the U.S. government shutdown came under fire Tuesday from the leader of his own party, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Without naming Suozzi, Jeffries publicly eviscerated lawmakers who are advocating for a one-year extension of expiring Obamacare health tax credits, calling that "laughable and "unacceptable" as a solution to unlock the shutdown stalemate.
"What world are the MAGA extremists living in right now?" Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) lashed out during a Capitol news conference.
"To think that Democrats are going to go along with a one-year extension from a group of people — meaning the Republicans — who just permanently extended massive tax breaks for their billionaire donors?
"It’s a laughable proposition. It makes no sense," Jeffries said.
Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) is the lead Democratic sponsor of the measure, H.R. 5145. And 11 other House Democrats as of Tuesday had joined 13 Republicans as co-sponsors of the bill, which is sponsored by Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.).
Asked for a response to Jeffries, Suozzi’s office provided a statement from the congressman, insisting, "Republicans and Democrats both need to step up to the negotiating table."
"This bill isn’t perfect — I’d prefer a permanent extension, and I’d gladly settle for a multiyear one — but right now, our priority must be stopping the massive health insurance premium hikes set to hit mailboxes in less than a month," referring to notices to enrollees about upcoming changes to their policies next year if the breaks are not renewed. "We can’t afford to remain in a stalemate, each side waiting for the other to blink."
When a Jeffries spokeswoman was asked about the leader’s comments, given that Suozzi and 11 other Democrats support the idea of a one-year extension, she noted Suozzi also supports a permanent extension of the subsidies. Suozzi is a co-sponsor of two separate bills that would do that.
A key issue underlying the shutdown is whether to extend added COVID-era tax breaks that were intended by lawmakers to be temporary. Extending them has become the central demand of Democrats who say the nation under President Donald Trump is in a health care crisis — and that millions of Americans will see their health care premium cost spike unless the subsidies are renewed.
Republicans and conservatives who oppose that idea point mostly to the cost. Congressional budget analysts project that about $40 billion would be added to the deficit each year if the breaks are continued.
Jeffries’ trashing of the measure came when he was asked during the news conference if "the bipartisan bill" to continue for a year the Obamacare subsidies would be an acceptable pathway to resolve the shutdown impasse.
Jeffries responded that there’s no way Democrats would go along with that. He questioned what that would say to "working class Americans, who we are standing up for, middle-class Americans, who we are standing up for, and everyday Americans. who we are standing up for, whose tax credits are about to expire, and they’re getting ready to face dramatically increased premiums."
"And we’re talking about veterans, we’re talking about farmers, we’re talking about ranchers, we’re talking about everyday Americans.
"And they only get a one-year extension?" Jeffries said.
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