Jan 26 enewsletter j

Dear Friend,

After more than 40 days, the federal government shutdown has finally ended. 

This week, I voted NO on a spending bill that utterly fails to meet the moment for working Minnesotans.

I have heard from countless Minnesotans who are deeply worried about how they’ll afford their health insurance payments next year. Instead of delivering real relief, this bill leaves them hanging. It is shameful that thousands of Minnesotans, and millions of Americans, will soon face devastating premium hikes or lose their healthcare coverage entirely.

Thousands of Minnesotans will see their premiums increase by an average of 21.5% each month for the same coverage, with many facing even greater hikes. For a family earning $85,000 a year, that means an extra $16,000 a year — or $1,300 more every month — just to keep the same plan.

And why? Because instead of working together to extend critical Affordable Care Act tax subsidies, Republicans in Congress, joined by eight Senate Democrats, chose a compromise that does everything but that.

Minnesotans deserve more than half-measures and promises of future fixes. They deserve a Congress that won’t treat access to affordable healthcare as an afterthought. I will continue fighting to ensure that every Minnesotan can afford the healthcare they need, without exceptions, restrictions, or compromises that leave people behind.