Government shutdown to end, but lawmakers' work is far from done

Government shutdown, lawmakers' work far from done

The House of Representatives is poised to vote to reopen the government after the longest shutdown in history. But there is a lot of work to be done in Washington, D.C.

MILWAUKEE - The House of Representatives is poised to vote to reopen the government after the longest shutdown in history. But there is a lot of work to be done in Washington, D.C.

Government shutdown nears end

What they're saying:

FOX6 News questioned two of Wisconsin's elected leaders about the matter on Wednesday, Nov. 12. Both sides are far apart on the future battle over health care, even if the government opens. 

"Would you say the shutdown has been a flop?" asked FOX6's Jason Calvi of Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin. 

"I would say that it revealed the true priorities and the true values of each of the parties in an unmistakable way. That we held firm for 41 days fighting for people's health care," Baldwin answered. 

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D)

Sen. Baldwin stayed a "no" vote. But this week, some of her fellow Democratic senators joined Republicans to pass a spending bill. 

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

The Republican majority leader promised the senate would take up a Democratic bill on health care subsidies in December. That means the battle over health care is not over. 

"What's your plan?" Calvi asked of Wisconsin Republican Cong. Tim Tiffany. 

"First of all, let's pass the continued resolution and get back to work. But I mean, look at the ACA at this point. it's clearly not working. Look at the massive subsidies that are going almost exclusively to health insurance companies at this point. Is that success?" Tiffany answered. 

Congressman Tom Tiffany (R)

Obamacare subsidies

Big picture view:

Obamacare's much larger subsidies started in 2021. They expire at the end of 2025. 

"Forty-nine days until those Obamacare premiums spike. I don't know how you're going to get a plan in place before then," Calvi said to Cong. Tiffany.

"We're going to work through it now that we get the government reopened, which we could have been working on this for the last five or six weeks, but we will work on this and try to get a good resolution for the American people. The one thing we know is that this is not working," Tiffany said. 

"We've not seen a plan from the leadership in the Republican Party. In fact, if you could call anything a plan, it has been to destroy what is commonly called Obamacare," Baldwin said. 

Tax credits to expire

By the numbers:

Without those enhanced Obamacare tax credits, Affordable Care Act premiums will spike on Jan. 1, 2026.

For example, for a 60-year-old couple in Milwaukee County making $85,000 a year, that premium will go up to $25,000 a year. 

The spending bill would fund much of the government through Jan. 30, 2026. Sen. Baldwin said her party could have "another opportunity to play hard ball then."

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

FOX6 News caught up with Sen. Baldwin in Wisconsin after she voted in Washington, D.C. 

We caught up with Congressman Tiffany before he flew to the nation's capitol to cast his vote. He was receiving the Milwaukee police union's endorsement in the race for Wisconsin governor.