Government Shutdown Updates: Senate Closes Deal to Vote on Funding Bill Monday Night
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries did not say whether he was disappointed in the eight Senate Democrats who voted with Republicans to advance the Senate funding plan when pressed by ABC’s Jay O’Brien.
“I am focused on the American people,” he told a group at the Capitol. “This is a real problem. Does anyone not believe that health care is a real problem for the American people? And right now we are in the middle of this fight.”
“We are focused on trying to offer what we can offer and that should include expanding Affordable Care Act subsidies,” he added.
He said he hopes all House Democrats will return in time for a House vote and did not say whether leadership is whipping members against the funding bill.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks during a press conference at the US Capitol on November 6, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Eric Lee/Getty Images
When asked if the closure was worth it, Jeffries said that “at the end of the day, the fight is still alive.”
Jeffries said House Democrats are considering a discharge petition related to Obamacare subsidies, but he declined to provide details about the plan.
“Stay tuned,” he said.
This comes as President Mike Johnson refused to commit to a vote on ACA subsidies.
A discharge petition would require 218 signatures to force a vote in the House. There are several House Republicans who have advocated for a one-year extension of the ACA tax credits. Johnson is unlikely to support this effort.
-Lauren Peller of ABC News
