Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) voted for legislation that restores the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits and lowers health insurance costs for millions of Americans, including .
“Republicans have controlled every lever of government for an entire year and instead of focusing on lowering costs for the American people, they have cut life-saving programs and supported policies that make life more expensive and difficult,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “It took the courage of four Republicans to join every single Democrat in forcing a vote to extend the ACA tax credits that help millions of Americans buy their health insurance. As Republicans ignore the concerns of Americans and focus on supporting their billionaire donors and every boondoggle Donald Trump pursues, Democrats remain clear-eyed about our priority of helping hard-working Americans. We will continue to do everything possible to make life more affordable for you.”
On January 1, 2026, Republicans let ACA enhanced tax credits expire, sending premiums soaring for millions of Americans who purchase their own insurance, including small business owners and those who are self-employed. Democrats spent 2025 fighting, knowing that without action, Americans would face unaffordable price hikes. Despite being given multiple opportunities to act and months of public outcry, Republicans sent millions over the cliff, even greenlighting the longest government shutdown ever to avoid working with Democrats to protect these savings.
To renew the tax credits, Democrats submitted what’s known as a discharge petition, a maneuver in the House of Representatives to force a vote on legislation. It was not until mid-December that four Republicans found the courage to join every single Democrat to reach the threshold and force a vote on the legislation. Speaker Mike Johnson delayed this vote until the very last minute; he could have brought this bill to the vote before the tax credits expired but chose to send the House of Representatives home for the rest of the month in December.
In the end, every single Democrat and only 17 Republicans fought for Americans to lower their costs and extend ACA tax credits for three more years. This legislation now goes to the Senate.
By the Numbers:
- 22 million people—over 90% of Marketplace enrollees—use ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credits to pay for their health care, including 92,000 El Pasoans. (, ).
- On average, people who use these tax credits are seeing their annual health care costs more than double without them—114% or an average of $1,106. ()
- 1 in 4 Marketplace enrollees say would very likely go uninsured if their health care costs doubled. ()
- 14 million Americans already owe over $1,000 in medical debt, and 3 million Americans owe over $10,000 in medical debt yet Republicans are driving even more people into debt with the Trump Administration by raising premiums while simultaneously blocking efforts to keep medical bills off families’ credit reports. ().
- Nearly 6 in 10 Marketplace enrollees say they would not be able to afford an annual increase of $300 in health care expenses without significantly disrupting their household finances. ()
- 78% of the public says they want Congress to extend the enhanced tax credits. ()
- 94% of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits go to families making under $200,000, with zero dollars for anyone over $500,000. ().
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