House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wouldn’t say if he was disappointed in the eight Senate Democrats who voted with Republicans to advance the Senate funding plan when pressed by ABC’s Jay O’Brien.
“I am focused on the American people,” he said in a gaggle in the Capitol. “This is a real issue. Does anyone not think health care is a real issue for the American people? And we are in the middle of this fight right now.”
“We are focused on trying to deliver what we can deliver and that should include extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies,” he added.
He said he expects all House Democrats to make it back in time for a vote in the House and would not say if leadership is whipping members against the funding bill.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on November 6, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Eric Lee/Getty Images
When pressed if the shutdown was worthwhile, Jeffries said “at the end of the day the fight lives on.”
Jeffries said House Democrats are considering a discharge petition related to the Obamacare subsidies but declined to provide specifics on the plan.
“Stay tuned,” he said.
This comes as Speaker Mike Johnson refused to commit to holding a vote on the ACA subsidies.
A discharge petition would require 218 signatures to force a vote in the House. There are several House Republicans who have advocated for a one-year extension of the ACA tax credits. It’s unlikely Johnson would support this effort.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
