Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026
Floor Speech
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Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, let's look at the numbers: 15 million people are about to be kicked off their health insurance because of the big, ugly law; 24 million Americans are going to pay higher premiums, in some cases, up to 75 percent.
I am in opposition to this Republican plan because they would rather shut down the government than bring costs down for the American people.
Everything costs more. Unemployment is on the rise, and it is only going to get worse because of their healthcare premiums rising by up to 75 percent.
Let's say it again: Republicans would rather shut down the government than bring down healthcare costs.
Two months ago, they found it possible to permanently extend tax cuts for the super wealthy and the biggest companies that were all scheduled to expire. They have turned their backs on the American people, but they found time once again to cut taxes for people at the very top.
My friend, the budget chairman, said before that Democrats have added to the debt. Is there anybody on their side right now that is willing to stand up and say that in 2017 they didn't borrow $2.3 trillion for their tax cut? That is what I thought.
Is there anybody willing to say that they didn't add $4 trillion to the debt with the last measure they passed called the big, ugly bill?
Trillions of dollars being borrowed for a tax cut, and the bill is so popular, what they did with that legislation, it is so popular, at the White House right now they are trying to figure out how to rebrand it. We have already branded it. It is the big, ugly bill that is going to penalize middle-class Americans. We have the highest healthcare premium increases in 15 years. Prices are up. Unemployment is rising, and the Trump economy with their tariffs are failing the American people who need it the most.
This morning, Democrats are not going to be party to these attacks on the American people. We have a simple plan here. Let's extend these healthcare benefits. We can move on to the next legislative business in terms of the regular order. The American people know this morning Democrats have their backs, and we intend to defend their health insurance plans.
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