U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is discussing a compromise with colleagues that would involve the Republican-led Congress agreeing to talks around extending Affordable Care Act tax credits if the government shutdown ends.
The informal talks among Collins and other lawmakers whom her office declined to identify Tuesday come after Senate Democrats have repeatedly blocked a Republican-backed plan to fund the government through Nov. 21. The senator’s office shared few details about the talks, and it is unclear whether enough Democrats will be moved by the idea.
The shutdown that affects Maine and its federal workers began Oct. The chief sticking point for Democrats has been that Republicans have refused to include in their bill an extension of the health insurance tax credits that expire at the end of this year. Collins has said she supports extending the credits in some form but argued there is more time to negotiate.
Since then, she and fellow Republicans have blamed Democrats for causing the shutdown. Democrats have pushed back and also sought to reverse Medicaid cuts that were included in President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” he signed into law this summer.
Polling hints at why Democrats are not budging, with 41% of Americans saying Republicans and Trump are most responsible for the shutdown versus 30% who say Democrats are most responsible and 23% who blame both parties, according to a survey of 1,648 adults done by The Economist and YouGov over the weekend.
Collins told Capitol Hill reporters Monday she was circulating a “discussion draft” of a plan to get leaders to commit to a bipartisan Affordable Care Act tax credit extension once the shutdown ends and to pass full-year spending bills Collins has worked on as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Asked for any updates Tuesday, Collins’ office did not add much and declined to share which lawmakers are involved other than that she is speaking with both Republicans and Democrats and “pushing for assurances” to move full-year spending bills her committee has worked on..
“As Sen. Collins is in the midst of negotiations, she is unable to release more specifics,” Collins spokesperson Phoebe Ferraiolo said. “But I can confirm that part of her proposal is agreeing to negotiate on an extension and reforming of the ACA tax credits once government has reopened.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said Monday he assured U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, who is the top Democrat on the budget committee with Collins, that he will move the full-year spending bills if the shutdown ends.
Lawmakers may face more pressure from their home states if the shutdown stretches on. Trump and his administration gave conflicting messages Tuesday on denying back to federal workers who are furloughed during the shutdown. Trump and his budget chief Russ Vought are also seeking to go against past precedent for shutdowns by firing federal workers. Trump and Vought have moved to cut $8 billion in clean energy projects and freeze billions in infrastructure projects that mostly benefit Democratic-led states and cities.
U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, who caucuses with Democrats, has voted with Collins and a small group of Democratic senators in favor of the GOP-backed spending bill that has repeatedly failed to get the needed 60 votes. King explained his stance by saying he feared a shutdown would give Trump more power.
King’s office deferred Tuesday to his Monday evening comments to reporters about how he is “contemplating” changing to a “no” vote on the GOP spending plan “unless the Republicans are more forthcoming” on the tax credits. His office otherwise added he is having bipartisan conversations with senators over ending the shutdown.
The Senate had not held another vote on the stopgap funding measure as of late Tuesday afternoon. Trump created additional intrigue Monday by suggesting “good things” on health care could come out of talks he said the White House was having with Democrats but later walking back his comments. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries denied Trump’s claim by saying the White House “has gone radio silent.”
The expiration of the tax credits tied to former President Barack Obama’s signature health care legislation would hit Mainers hard at a time when insurance rates here are increasing. Gov. Janet Mills has said more than 51,000 of the 61,000 Mainers insured on the state’s CoverMe.gov marketplace could see an average $258 increase in monthly premiums and that 9,500 Mainers would lose the tax credits if they expire at the end of December.
