Hakeem Jeffries defends Democrats’ Obamacare tax credit stance

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday rejected as “ridiculous” an accusation that Democrats want to let pivotal Obamacare subsidies lapse in order to deal a political blow to Republicans.

“Shame on you,” Jeffries, D-N.Y., said at one point as he pushed back on that notion in a fiery exchange with CNBC’s Becky Quick on “Squawk Box.”

The clash came less than six weeks before those subsidies — enhanced tax credits that reduce health-insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act for millions of enrollees — are set to expire.

Quick had questioned why House Democrats are seeking a three-year extension of those subsidies, which Republicans won’t support, instead of a one- or two-year deal, which some might.

When Jeffries noted that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had offered a one-year extension of the tax credits during the government shutdown, Quick interjected, pressing him not to “go back to what’s done in the past.”

Jeffries said he was providing the necessary context that “Republicans have repeatedly refused to take yes for an answer.”

Quick replied, “It’s important context to make me realize that I don’t think you want to get a deal done. I think this is something where you’d like to see the rates go higher and allow the Republicans to hang themselves with that.”

Jeffries shot back: “That’s absolutely a ridiculous assertion … shame on you for saying that.”

“It’s not a partisan issue for us. In fact, the states that are most impacted as it relates to an Affordable Care Act tax credit expiration are all Republican states.”

The fight over the tax credits was at the center of the 43-day shutdown, which ended last week without a clear solution on health care.

Democrats wanted to permanently extend the credits, which were imposed under the Biden administration during the Covid-19 pandemic, and had refused to agree to fund the government without that guarantee.

Republicans, who hold slim majorities in the House and Senate and have long criticized Obamacare, said they also wanted to address health care policy. But they balked at negotiating without reopening the government first.

“Republicans said in the House they were willing to deal with the Affordable Care Act tax credit issue after the government funding agreement was reached,” Jeffries said on CNBC. “Well, now the government shutdown is over and there’s still been no conversations with House Republican leaders.”

The funding deal ultimately signed by President Donald Trump, which drew enough Democratic support to pass in the Senate, merely guaranteed that the upper chamber would hold a vote in December on a bill of Democrats’ choosing.

There is no guarantee that Senate Republicans will back that measure, or that House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will take it up if it passes.