Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley from California expressed on Thursday that Congress is overly focused on assigning blame regarding the current government shutdown, instead of working toward a resolution.
“Right now, all the energy is being poured into pointing fingers at each other when, I think, the real focus should be on finding solutions to this deadlock,” Kiley remarked during an appearance on NewsNation, which is affiliated with The Hill.
The shutdown, which commenced on October 1, is now among the longest in U.S. history, sitting at the fourth longest.
On September 19, the House approved a continuing resolution (CR) that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) labeled as “clean” and “bipartisan.” This Republican-led proposal is intended to fund the government until November 21.
Democrats are advocating for the CR to include a permanent extension of subsidies from the Affordable Care Act (ACA), set to expire at the end of this year. If these subsidies expire, average premiums for individuals utilizing the ACA Marketplace could more than double, as noted by the Medical Policy Research Group, KFF.
Kiley expressed his concern over the potential increase in premiums, stating he supports “temporary relief” for those who might be affected. KFF reports that over 24 million Americans are enrolled in the ACA Marketplace, with 92 percent receiving subsidies this year.
“In the end, we have to tackle the rising costs of healthcare in this country,” Kiley continued. “But I think, if there’s a chance to look into [a temporary extension], it should definitely be considered as a way to break this deadlock.”
According to a public opinion poll, about three-quarters of Americans believe that the responsibility for the government shutdown lies with Republicans, Democrats, and President Trump, as stated by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
In a survey, 54% of respondents described the shutdown as a significant issue, while 35% considered it a minor concern, and 11% did not see it as a problem at all.
“For many Americans, it’s almost expected. Congress is seen as broken, and this is just another instance of that,” Kiley noted.
