From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com …
— Wisconsin Democrats blasted a bipartisan deal to end a record-long government shutdown, which includes commitments from U.S. Senate GOP leadership to hold a later vote on extending Affordable Care Act Subsidies.
Meanwhile, Republicans accused their Dem counterparts of playing politics with the American people for opposing the measure.
The funding deal passed 222-209 in the House, with six Democrats joining Republicans in favor. U.S. Reps. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee, and Mark Pocan, D-Town of Vermont, voted against the bill, which President Donald Trump signed last night.
While the Senate will vote on the ACA subsidies under the deal, there’s no guarantee of a vote in the House.
Pocan in a floor speech said the bill will reopen the government, but it won’t “protect the 22 million people paying more for the Affordable Care Act, or the 15 million people losing their health care outright due to Republican actions in the Big Ugly Law,” and won’t stop health care increases or restore cuts to food stamps.
“But I sure hope you’re tanned and rested after your 8-week paid vacation, because you’re going to need it. Democrats are going to continue fighting every single day for people’s health care and food benefits, and we’re going to be on you day after day until we get it done,” Pocan said.
Moore in a statement said she appreciates and respects the eight Dem senators who helped broker the deal, but “I have little confidence in the promise of a future vote on a still unknown proposal to extend ACA premium subsidies.”
Moore said her constituents are being forced to pay thousands more without the subsidies, and some will forgo health insurance altogether.
“This isn’t a theoretical threat for more than 300,000 Wisconsinites, including small business owners, who are covered by the ACA. Many of my constituents have shared with my office how important this coverage is to them,” Moore said.
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, in a statement blamed the shutdown on Democrats.
“More than seven weeks ago, I voted for a clean budget bill to keep the government open, pay our federal workers and military, and ensure taxpayers received their benefits,” Tiffany said “It’s shameful that so many Democrats like Senator Baldwin put politics ahead of the American people for the sake of last week’s elections, but tonight, we ended their hostage racket and delivered funding to strengthen care for veterans, support farmers, and provide stability for hardworking families.”
The agreement extends government funding until Jan. 30 and ensures back pay for federal workers. It also includes three yearlong spending bills to ensure funding for several agencies, SNAP food stamp benefits and a supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children.
See more from this week’s WisPolitics DC Wrap.
— The WHA Foundation is helping to fund health care career programs at high schools across the state through a grant program.
The foundation, an extension of the Wisconsin Hospital Association, today announced it’s continuing the program from last year to support HOSA-Future Health Professionals chapters this school year, along with 24 local hospitals. The effort has provided $59,500 to 44 schools so far.
HOSA is meant to introduce high school students to career pathways in the health care field and connected disciplines, including medicine and nursing as well as biomedical engineering, pharmacy and others.
“Wisconsin’s hospitals provide rewarding career opportunities in communities around the state,” WHA President and CEO Kyle O’Brien said in a statement. “We are proud to support the next generation of health care workers in Wisconsin who will serve an essential role in our members’ mission to serve their communities.”
See the release below.
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Press Releases
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