After the Longest Shutdown in American History, Congress Fails to Address Health Care Crisis and Protect Vulnerable Communities
Washington, D.C. — After 43 days, the House of Representatives voted to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. But instead of using this opportunity to deliver relief and stability, lawmakers chose to ignore the health care crisis millions of Americans are facing, by refusing to renew enhanced ACA subsidies that keep coverage within reach for working families.
In response to this budget agreement, Voto Latino issued the following statement:
“While the government may have reopened, the budget that passed leaves too many of our communities behind. By refusing to extend ACA enhanced subsidies, Republican lawmakers have chosen to ignore the rising health care crisis that millions of American families are struggling to navigate. Lawmakers are placing the heaviest burden on those who are disproportionately impacted—working families, young people, and communities of color.
Latinos are already left behind when it comes to accessing health care coverage. Nearly one in five Latinos are uninsured, and this reality will only grow to be more stark as premiums surge by more than 26%. With lawmakers choosing to turn a blind eye to this reality, these disparities will only grow, and families will be pushed to make difficult decisions when it comes to seeking medical attention.
Even with the government reopened, communities are still grappling with the aftermath of the shutdown. Millions of families went without paychecks, reliable services, while the most vulnerable among us went without food assistance.
This government shutdown showed the American people what Republicans and the administration stand for, they are doubling down on policies that weaken health care access. In the first few days of the shutdown alone, the administration started to slash funding for vital infrastructure projects in Democratic-led areas, cut resources across federal agencies, and deliberately withheld critical food aid from nearly 42 million Americans.
Voto Latino will not let these decisions go unnoticed. We are committed to informing our communities of what is at stake, all the way through next year’s midterm elections. Our community deserves a government that invests in us, not one that plays politics with our future.”
###
Voto Latino is a civic advocacy organization dedicated to educating and empowering the next generation of Latino voters while working to build a more inclusive and representative democracy. Since its founding, Voto Latino has registered nearly two million voters. In 2024, the organization took legal action to protect voting rights, filing multiple lawsuits in Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina to safeguard access to the ballot ahead of the elections.