By April Ryan

In the aftermath of eight Democratic U.S. Senators defecting from the party on the government shutdown, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says, “We plan to fight” the proposed Senate agreement in the House. All that is needed is for three Republicans to vote no when the deal reaches the House.

At this point, it is unclear whether three House Republicans will stand with the House Democrats, as Jeffries says, “they have been on vacation for the last seven weeks and are still not back in town.” Last night, the eight Senate Democrats joined the Republican Party in voting to reopen the government on a procedural basis. Now, Senate Democrats are working on a strategy for their next moves to win on their original quest to fund expiring insurance subsidies. The agreement reached last night would fund the government through January 30 and include full-year funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (https://www.npr.org/2025/11/09/nx-s1-5603417/full-snap-benefits-trump-states-order), through September 30, 2026, or the end of the fiscal year.

The NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson, has submitted letters to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressing “grave concern with actions of the congressional Majority and several Senate Democrats regarding the healthcare needs of everyday Americans.” Johnson says,” The government shutdown weaponized the poverty of 41.7 million (12.3%) of Americans in need of SNAP food assistance against 44 million Americans who obtain health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace and Medicaid expansion. Although ACA premium tax credits expire in December 2025 along with the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act, the Majority and Executive Branch chose earlier this year to prioritize roughly 1,000 Billionaires by passing a $4 trillion tax cut and failing to renew the ACA Premium Tax Credits.”

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The NAACP offered the House and Senate leadership a list of demands.:

1. Guarantee that healthcare coverage continues uninterrupted for 44 million Americans.
2. Extend the ACA Premium Tax Credits beyond one year to ensure a long-term solution, not a short-term fix.
3. Prioritize affordability and access, not just coverage. Premiums, deductibles, and networks all matter.
4. Ensure the budget deal reflects the values of the American people, many of whom are represented by the same officials who denied them food assistance and healthcare as political theater.
5. Exercise Constitutional authority to ensure the current administration follows the rule of law in the appropriations process.

The NAACP letter concludes with the statement, “Congress has a responsibility to govern in a manner reflecting the American values of fairness.”

Today, there is a 3 pm virtual meeting of the House Democratic Caucus. Meanwhile, Congressional leaders from across the country are subject to a 48-hour callback from their home districts to Congress if there is movement on the government shutdown in the House. Currently, there is no guarantee on flights due to numerous cancellations resulting from a shortage of air traffic controllers during the shutdown.

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