Emanuel Cleaver: Standing firm against higher health care costs

(From Fifth District Congressman Emanuel Cleaver)

While House Republicans were on paid vacation from September 19th to mid-November, House Democrats have continued showing up to do the People's work in our fight to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits and lower health care costs. Because when families stretch to afford groceries, health care, housing, and child care, the last thing they need is a government that is closed for business.

Although I'm pleased the Republican shutdown has come to a conclusion, let's be very clear: this shutdown was the result of Republicans in Congress and the White House refusing to help Americans lower their skyrocketing health care costs. The GOP, which controls the White House, the House of Representatives, and the Senate, held essential services and hardworking families hostage for political gain. At the same time, President Trump was focused on raising $300 million to demolish the East Wing of the White House and turn it into a gilded ballroom.

As we move into the end of 2025 and turn to a new year, Democrats will remain laser-focused on the critically important issues facing the American public: addressing health care costs, lowering the price of food, housing, and energy, paying federal workers, and protecting critical programs like SNAP that millions of families rely on to keep food on the table.

How the Shutdown Affected Our Community

During the Republican shutdown, I spent time speaking directly with community leaders, nonprofit partners, and federal workers whose lives were disrupted by the decisions being made by politicians in Washington.

One of those conversations was with Emmet Pierson, President and CEO of Community Builders of Kansas City, whose organization is leading critical development projects in our community. He shared how the shutdown stalled affordable housing efforts, slowed vital federal approvals, and created uncertainty for families waiting on services. His message was clear: when Congress fails to act, projects that strengthen neighborhoods and expand opportunity are the first to suffer.

I also heard from federal workers, including one longtime civil servant who spoke with me about what it meant to go weeks without pay. These are the people who keep our country running by processing benefits, supporting veterans, protecting public safety, and serving Americans every single day. They shouldn't be treated as bargaining chips in a political game. They deserve stability, respect, and the assurance that their livelihoods won't be jeopardized by partisan brinksmanship - which is why I called on the administration to follow the law and ensure these civil servants receive the back pay they are entitled to.

Standing Firm Against Higher Health Care Costs

While I am relieved the shutdown has ended and federal workers have finally returned to their jobs with paychecks restored, I want to be transparent about why I could not support the Senate spending bill when it came before the House.

For months, Democrats in Congress have urged Republicans - who control the White House, the House, and the Senate - to work together on bipartisan solutions that address the rising cost of living. That includes extending Affordable Care Act tax credits that help working-class families keep their health care premiums affordable.

But instead of coming to the table with solutions, Republicans advanced a bill this summer that extended tax breaks for the wealthy and well-connected while making the largest cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs in our nation's history. Even worse, the legislation failed to protect ACA tax credits, meaning tens of thousands of families in Missouri's Fifth District would see their premiums skyrocket - in some cases doubling. At a time when families are already stretched thin, that is simply unacceptable.

As I said in my statement on the bill: "I cannot support legislation that raises the health care costs of hardworking families across Missouri's Fifth Congressional District. Unfortunately, the legislation proposed in the Senate will ensure that tens of thousands of my constituents see their health care premiums skyrocket, some by more than double what they are today. That is a heartless way to govern."

We cannot balance budgets on the backs of families who are already doing everything right. And we certainly cannot justify raising premiums while the administration continues to hand out massive tax breaks to the wealthy and questionable billion-dollar bailouts to countries like Argentina. While the government is now reopened, my focus remains the same: fighting to lower health care costs, protect SNAP benefits, and make sure the policies passed in Washington actually work for the people who live and work in our community.