Baldwin Votes to Extend Health Care Tax Breaks, Avert Crisis for 275,000 Wisconsinites
Republicans reject extension of health care tax breaks, green light massive price hike on working Wisconsinites; WATCH: Senator Baldwin delivers remarks on Senate Floor ahead of health care vote; ICYMI: Today, Baldwin holds virtual press conference with Wisconsinites facing higher premiums next year
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) voted to extend tax breaks that help 275,000 Wisconsinites afford their health care premiums. Senate Republicans rejected a three-year extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, which will cause 22 million Americans’ premiums to double on average starting on January 1.
“Today, we had a simple choice: vote to avert crisis for 275,000 Wisconsinites or greenlight higher costs for millions of Americans. I voted to prevent higher costs for Wisconsinites, my Republican colleagues voted to double, triple, or quadruple working families' health care premiums,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’ll be the first to say that our health care system needs major reforms, and I’ll work with any of my colleagues to fix it and ensure all Americans have access to high-quality care they can afford. But right now, Wisconsin small business owners, farmers, and families are logging on to HealthCare.Gov only to discover they cannot afford their insurance next year. At a time when the cost of everything seems to be going up, Republicans have once again sent a message that they have no plan to bring prices down for Wisconsinites.”
For months, Senator Baldwin has been pushing to extend these tax credits and leads legislation that would make them permanent. Last month, Senator Baldwin forced a Senate vote to extend the ACA enhanced premium tax credits for one year. Senate Republicans voted to stop Baldwin’s effort to add her amendment that would have extended the tax credits to the government funding bill before the Senate.
In recent weeks, Senator Baldwin has traveled the state, making stops in Weston, Green Bay, Milwaukee, and Mount Horeb to highlight how the expiration of these tax credits will hurt working families, small businesses, and farmers. She’s also hosted roundtables with constituents while in D.C., including with Wisconsinites from La Crosse, Eau Claire, and Milwaukee, in addition to meeting with Wisconsin farmers who use the Affordable Care Act. She also convened Governor Tony Evers and Representatives Gwen Moore (D-WI-04) and Mark Pocan (D-WI-02) to highlight just how much Wisconsinites’ premiums would rise without these tax credits.
A full recording of Senator Baldwin’s floor speech ahead of the vote to extend these tax credits is available here.
A full recording a Senator Baldwin’s press call with impacted constituents today is available here.
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