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Floor Speech
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Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, this week, we have an opportunity to lower healthcare costs for the American people. For months, my Republican colleagues have refused to extend existing Affordable Care Act tax credits that help nearly 22 million Americans afford quality healthcare. These tax credits have been one of the single most successful tools to ensure that every American has access to the care they need.
As we near the end of the healthcare enrollment period for the new year, Michiganders are experiencing the real-world consequences of Republicans' actions. Right now, folks across Michigan are shopping for 2026 healthcare coverage. When they log on to the Marketplace, they are seeing staggering--staggering--price hikes for the exact same coverage they currently have.
For example, this year, an average plan for a 26-year-old living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula costs about $340 a month. Next year, that monthly payment is scheduled to double, costing them $600 to $800 per month.
A family of four living in Detroit paid $980 a month in 2025 for the average plan. What that same plan will cost now if Republicans allow these essential healthcare credits to expire--well, that family is now going to be paying $2,700 a month.
Finally, let's take a 64-year-old couple living in Kent County. They currently pay roughly a $600 monthly premium for their coverage, but soon that cost will be over $2,000 a month for just their premium if Republicans continue to block these healthcare credits.
Remember, these monthly costs don't even count towards their deductibles. Folks will still have to pay more before their insurance even kicks in.
It is simply unacceptable to let these subsidies expire, and every single Member of Congress knows it. Working families cannot afford these increases without sacrificing other necessities, especially as inflation is making the cost of everyday goods more expensive.
We know the Trump tariffs are adding thousands of dollars of costs to the average family each and every year. As a result, too many families are being forced to make a gut-wrenching decision to go without their healthcare coverage altogether.
According to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services, nearly 14,000 fewer Michiganders have enrolled in the Affordable Care Act plan compared to this time last year. That is almost 14,000 Michiganders who may have to go without healthcare all next year because my Republican colleagues refuse to act.
We know that when less people have insurance, it drives up the cost of healthcare for everybody else in the country.
There is no question that America is facing a healthcare affordability crisis, and these credits are the best tool we have to provide some financial relief right now--right now--for families who desperately need it. But Republicans have made it clear time and time again that they are perfectly fine letting this program expire, all the while offering no true alternative vision for how we can keep healthcare costs down for everyday Americans.
But Democrats--we are not going to sit back. We are not going to stall any further. This week, the Senate will vote on a bill that would extend these critical tax credits for 3 years. This commonsense proposal would protect access to affordable, comprehensive healthcare that helps keep American families healthy.
Simply put, if we pass this bill, we could literally save lives. That is exactly why I voted to pass the Affordable Care Act into law during my first time in the U.S. House back in 2009.
This week, I will proudly vote, once again, to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for every American. That is who we are as Democrats. That is what we have always fought for because we believe that access to affordable healthcare is a fundamental right.
For the sake of hard-working Americans in Michigan, as well as all across our country, I hope my Republican colleagues will join us in protecting that fundamental right.
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