AFT president criticizes lack of ACA tax credit restoration after government shutdown ends

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten has responded to the recent House vote that ended the federal government shutdown initiated by President Trump and congressional Republicans.

Weingarten expressed disappointment over the absence of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credit restoration in the agreement to reopen the government. “Like many Americans, we are deeply disappointed that Affordable Care Act tax credits have not been restored as part of reopening the federal government," she said.

She emphasized that AFT's 1.8 million members have actively worked to avoid a healthcare crisis, urging Congress and the president to fund the government, ensure workers are paid, and address rising costs for Americans. According to Weingarten, these efforts include preventing an increase in healthcare premiums.

Weingarten criticized President Trump’s administration for actions during the shutdown, stating: “Instead, President Trump and his administration used the government shutdown to inflict even more pain on Americans. Rather than working with Democrats to lower healthcare costs, they fired thousands of federal employees, snarled air transportation and denied food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, putting up to 42 million Americans at risk of going hungry.”

She noted that discontinuation of ACA tax credits would primarily affect families in states won by Trump and cited estimates indicating significant consequences: “It is unfathomable that Trump would cause such tremendous pain to prevent a continuation of healthcare credits that primarily support families in red states that he won. It is estimated that the discontinuation of these tax credits means 8,811 people will die and 4.8 million will be without health insurance. In 2026 alone, 340,000 jobs will be lost and hospitals will lose $32 billion.”

Weingarten questioned how the administration supports working families: “How is this administration supporting working families? It’s not.”

She acknowledged a commitment from Senate leadership for a separate vote on continuing ACA tax credits: “These families aren’t a priority for Trump. But the Senate majority leader has agreed to a stand-alone vote on continuing these lifesaving healthcare tax credits. So Republicans will have an opportunity to do the right thing for their constituents. They can finally stand up for them, recognize how they will suffer and vote for an ACA tax credit extension in the Senate and join a discharge petition in the House to require a vote.”

Weingarten concluded with a warning about future political consequences if action is not taken: “If they do not, they will continue to own this problem as healthcare premiums go through the roof on Jan. 1. And AFT members will do everything possible to remind voters next year of who is on the side of working families.”