The U.S. government will run out of money after midnight Tuesday to continue funding federal government entities across the country unless a deal is made by both the Democrats and Republicans.
In order to avoid a temporary halt in governmental services a spending bill must be passed on a bi-partisan basis.
Although the Republicans control both chambers of Congress, in the Senate they still need 60 votes to pass the spending bill. That gives Democrats leverage to demand resources to address health care affordability.
U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) said health insurance premiums will go up if a tax credit is not extended that helps people buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace
“Who can afford to pay $1,000 more a month for your health insurance from one day to the next, they're going to start getting those notices tomorrow,” she said.
Leger Fernández said Democrats want to make sure New Mexicans continue to receive this assistance.
Democrats criticized President Donald Trump after he posted an AI video on social media that depicts House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wearing a sombrero and a mustache.
Leger Fernández said Trump is not taking this spending bill seriously.
“He's acting like a six-year-old,” she said. “The problem is that when he acts like a six-year-old, it's not like you can just get mad at him and say, ‘stop drawing mustaches on people.’ People will die because of their decisions.”
She recommends all New Mexicans reach out to their representatives and share their concerns and stories on how a government shutdown will impact them.
Not all government entities will shut down. Essential federal employees and military personnel will continue to work without pay until a deal is met. The last government shutdown happened in 2018.
Support for this coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation.
