As the federal government reopens, AFSCME President Lee Saunders applauded pro-worker members of Congress who opposed massive insurance premium hikes that are hurting millions of people across the country.
But he also warned that the fight to protect families is “far from over.” The shutdown ended without an agreement on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits that help millions of families afford health insurance.
“Now that the government is reopening, we’re calling on members of Congress to keep their promise and hold a vote to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” Saunders said Thursday. “Working families cannot afford to wait any longer to lower health care costs.”
The government shutdown that began Oct. 1 ended on Wednesday and lasted 43 days, the longest in history. According to polls, most people blamed President Donald Trump and his anti-worker yes-men and women in Congress.
At the heart of the shutdown was a fight over the extension of ACA subsidies. They were ended as part of the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and corporations, and those subsidies are set to expire in January.
Already, people who shop for health insurance through the ACA marketplaces are seeing higher premium prices for 2026. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), a health policy organization, the ending of ACA enhanced tax credits will more than double the cost of premiums for enrollees who rely on the subsidies.
As the cost of living continues to climb and many people are living paycheck to paycheck, the increase in health insurance costs will be a major blow to working families.
Should Congress fail to extend the tax credits, the hardship working families will experience next year will come courtesy of the administration, its extremist allies in Congress and their billionaire friends.
But AFSCME members will continue to fight to protect working families, our jobs and the public services our communities rely on. Join the fight — it’s time to Get Organized, time to GO.