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Floor Speech

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Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I join my colleague from Rhode Island and so many others to ask our Republican colleagues that they vote with us to stem this crisis. Tens of millions of Americans are facing this healthcare crisis. They are seeing their premiums double or even triple as they enroll in a health insurance plan for next year.

This isn't a January thing, a February thing; it is a now thing, a right now thing.

If Congress doesn't act and if our Republican colleagues don't join us in simply extending tax credits that have been in place for years, they will start paying the new premiums on Monday, 5 days from now. They are looking at their budgets--my constituents are, people all over the country are--making decisions about how to afford care or whether they will have to go uninsured because they can't afford it or buy some junk plan that they are not sure how that will cover them and certainly won't cover most of their routine healthcare.

I urge my Republican colleagues to join us to stop these costs on premiums from skyrocketing, to protect healthcare. We have put forward a very reasonable proposal to extend the healthcare tax credits that have been helping tens of millions of people. We asked them to extend it for 3 years. We actually asked them to extend it for 2 years. We asked them to extend it to 1 year. I will note--this was during the shutdown--that a 1-year extension, if they would agree to that, it is about the same cost as the amount of money that the President of the United States gave to Argentina. So that is more important than helping people with their healthcare?

We are simply saying, let's make sure the same tax credits that are helping people afford their healthcare, that are in place today--not some new radical plan, that are in place today that made more accessible healthcare yesterday and last year and the year before--that they continue to be there for families next year.

If we extend the tax credit, we can bring relief during the holidays as people are facing the effects of these tariffs, which have increased everything from Christmas presents to housing costs, trying to get timber, electricity--you name it.

Millions of Americans are now going to have to decide, Do I extend my health coverage or can I pay my rent or my electricity bill? Can I put food on the table?

I heard all over my State about this, particularly in the rural areas. Do you know why? Because 27 percent of farmers and ranchers are on these Affordable Care Act plans. In my State, it is called MNsure.

Like DeNae and Mike in St. Cloud--not in the metropolitan area of the Twin Cities--but they are business owners of a small business. They say they are already ``struggling with rising costs'' and will now see their premiums double.

Or Jody in Windom, MN, who will have to pay more than triple her coverage for her and her husband next year as her premiums go from $500 to $1,800 per month.

Susan from St. Paul told me these massive increases are ``truly crippling'' her family budget.

In Mankato, Desirea--where my in-laws live in Mankato--has already sacrificed her own educational and career goals to pay for healthcare for her kids. Now she says she is ``trying to figure out how to pay for healthcare'' for her family and worried families like hers will be ``financially ruined,'' in her words.

Dan from Red Wing said families like his ``don't know what they will do.'' Some will take on second jobs, if they can find them. Some will take on debt to keep their coverage. Some may be forced to drop coverage altogether.

Karen from Moorehead, on the border of North Dakota, told me:

I am very fearful that I will lose my insurance because of not being able to afford it.

It is not just in Minnesota. In fact, more than three-fourths of the people who get healthcare through this Marketplace live in States that President Trump won.

So that is why--talk about a reasonable idea to our Republican colleagues--when three-fourths of the policyholders are in States that Donald Trump won. That has been our focus.

I would do other things. I would do more on prescription drug negotiation. I would do something about a public option. I would do many other things to make this better. But for right now, we are dealing with now.

Earlier this year, we marked the 60th anniversary of Medicaid and Medicare. More than 110 million Americans depend on these programs. And we know that we should be strengthening care and not undermining it. But right now, I urge my colleagues to join us in simply extending these healthcare tax credits. As one of my farmers put it, he is facing a ``perfect storm of ugly.'' The tariffs have dried up his markets overseas. His input costs for parts for his equipment are too expensive. And now there is this healthcare plan that he didn't see coming.

He didn't believe that when President Trump had promised that he would reduce costs, that he would be seeing a doubling of his healthcare premiums.

It is time to work together to do with what we all know will keep costs down for families. Instead of sending $20 billion to Argentina, maybe we could spend it here to help our constituents afford their healthcare. That would be at least about 1 year--$24 billion for 1 year. That was $20 billion.

Budgets are decisions about values and what you value.

It is time for our colleagues to not just say what they are saying behind closed doors, but they should vote their constituents and vote with us to help with their healthcare premiums.

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