Dear friend,

Today I wanted to write to you directly about the state of our nation. At the close of the longest government shutdown in history, I am disappointed and frustrated that a funding package passed the Senate on Monday night without an extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits, but here is the reality I see so clearly: despite everything, we have to keep fighting and keep speaking out—the fight for health care did not end this week.

Importantly, we have to keep our focus trained on the Republicans who moved heaven and earth to pass trillions in tax breaks for billionaires—but wouldn’t lift a finger to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits so working people could just afford health care.

We have to stay focused on the President, who spent more money to bail out Argentina than it would have cost to extend the ACA tax credits for just one year.

What I want everyone to understand is that Republicans control the House, Senate, and White House—if they wanted to extend the ACA tax credits on their own terms, they absolutely could have without a single Democratic vote. But Republicans simply don’t care. The only reason we are even discussing health care in this moment is because Democrats forced this discussion.

Last Friday, Republicans even flat-out rejected a united Democratic offer to just pass a clean, one-year extension of the tax credits to buy some more time to negotiate a long-term bipartisan deal on health care.

I have been sounding the alarm, pushing for the extension of these tax credits for nearly two years. Every step of the way, Republicans have outright refused to engage or voted down Democratic amendments to save the ACA tax credits.

Meanwhile, we see nonstop grifting from Donald Trump—a President who is pardoning heinous criminals, enriching himself and his billionaire friends through historic corruption, and fixating on gilded ballrooms rather than the pain the American people are suffering right now.

I mean, seriously, the President sued—appealed all the way to the Supreme Court to DENY hungry families SNAP benefits. This was money he could have simply spent to feed children, veterans, and seniors, but he chose to withhold those benefits. As someone whose family relied on food stamps for a brief time growing up, I cannot express how callous and ugly the actions of this President are to me.

After I was told I was “just a mom in tennis shoes,” I ran for office to be a voice for regular people—people whose families might need SNAP to put food on the table, people who can’t afford to pay for health care premiums that more than double or triple. 

And after many years in the Senate, here’s what I know. There is precious little Democrats can do through the force of law while we are in the minority: we do not control the floor, we can’t dictate what bills get votes, and we don’t set the agenda for Congressional committees. We need to win elections to wield power. Does that mean we throw our hands up in the air and say, “Oh well”? Absolutely not. We speak out against the policies and actions of this administration that are hurting people. This President wanted to abolish Head Start, and after I and so many others spoke out, the administration backed off. Donald Trump wants you to believe he’s invincible, but he is absolutely NOT—your voice does make a difference.

And most importantly, we can work our hearts out to help Democrats win across this country to make sure America stands for everyone, not just those at the top who can afford to help build Trump’s ballroom or have fancy dinners at Mar-a-Lago. I want a country led by leaders who care about their neighbors, who are compassionate, and who want to actually solve the tough problems. 

That’s why we have to fight for a Democratic majority in the Senate and the House. 

I am determined to ensure Democrats win and use that power to block Trump’s most destructive policies and to help people.

Every day, I am in this fight to show the American people how Trump and Republicans are failing them as prices skyrocket, as they infringe on our basic civil rights, and worse.

And I am fighting to make sure people know how Democrats are working to actually lower prices, expand access to health care, protect our most fundamental rights, and much more.

This has not been an easy week for anyone, least of all the 20 million Americans who rely most on ACA tax credits. I have spoken with so many families worried about their health care, and I carry their stories in my heart as I keep pressing forward in this fight. 

These are the times that test us. And I’ll keep doing everything I can to live up to the trust you’ve placed in me.

In service,

Patty

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