Democratic shutdown: Jeffries rejects proposal to extend Obamacare for a year as essential services begin to take a hit

Democratic leaders signaled once again that they will test their political leverage against President Donald Trump, despite the impact of a government shutdown on Americans, who have already begun experiencing disruptions to essential services such as airports. While Senate Democrats continue to block conservative proposals, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called a conservative plan to extend Obamacare subsidies for a year in exchange for passing a continuing resolution to reopen the government "laughable."

The proposal was offered by Virginia GOP Rep. Jen Kiggans, who suggested a one-year extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies as a starting point for restarting negotiations with her Democratic colleagues.

Democrats demand a permanent extension of Obamacare.

The subsidies are set to expire Jan. 1, and Kiggans proposed delaying their expiration until the end of 2026. Democrats, however, are pushing for a permanent extension of Obamacare tax credits, noting that Republicans already permanently extended tax cuts for the wealthy earlier this year, according to The Hill.

"What world are these MAGA extremists living in right now to think that Democrats are going to go along with a one-year extension from a group of people ... who just permanently extended massive tax breaks for their billionaire donors?. It’s a laughable proposition. It makes no sense. The Democratic position has been clear: Permanent extension, and let’s go from there."

Government shutdown is already being felt by Americans

Meanwhile, Americans are already feeling the effects of the shutdown on essential services. For example, the FAA is preparing for potential disruptions in air traffic nationwide overnight due to staffing shortages at several of the country’s major control centers, and flight delays are being reported.