Chuck Schumer leaves Senate floor as Bernie Moreno presses him on 'written' ACA subsidy extension

WASHINGTON, DC: Chuck Schumer abruptly left the floor when questioned by Bernie Moreno about his proposal to end the government shutdown. Moreno asked Schumer for details on the plan, which would extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies for one year.

Moreno also asked whether the proposal was available in writing for public review and whether high earners would still qualify for the Covid-era subsidies. For a brief moment, Schumer seemed caught off guard in this viral video.

Chuck Schumer walks out amid heated fight over ACA subsidy proposal

Moreno asked, "Have you put forward a proposal that we can read that you reference in your speech, which says a clean, continuing resolution with the extension of the ACA, Biden coded credits. My question: Is there a proposal in writing that we can read?"

Schumer replied, "Yes, as we spoke yesterday, so there is, I will not be interrupted." He then added, "We're willing to negotiate once the credits are extended, plain and simple, and we made that in our proposal yesterday."

Schumer continued, "ACA benefits for one year. That's all plain and simple, and leader can put that in its proposal on opening up the government. So it doesn't need a vote, can't be blocked by anybody. It's the right thing to do."

Moreno fired back, "I know that the senator from Ohio cares about the billionaires. We care about average working people. I yield the floor, so just to be clear. We heard from the minority leader was the following."

He recalls, "I just want to recap it for those who might have missed. Number one, he acknowledged that the Democrats have actually not put forward a written proposal that people could look at. Number two, he acknowledged that his plan would allow millionaires. Let me just say that clearly, people making millions of dollars would receive Biden-era Covid Obamacare subsidies."

"I was going to ask him before he stormed out of the room because, evidently, he doesn‘t want to hear any opposing views or actually engage in meaningful negotiation. Would he continue $0 premiums, which we know for a FACT have enormous levels of fraud," Moreno continues.

"If he had stayed, I would have asked him a third question - Does the money go directly to insurance companies? This money does not go to people on Obamacare. This is a check written for the federal government to the wealthiest insurance companies on the planet. He wants no income caps, millionaires getting COVID subsidies. He wants $0 premiums that are filled with fraud, and he wants to enrich insurance companies even more," he concluded. 

Chuck Schumer outlines ACA plan with one-year Obamacare subsidy extension

Chuck Schumer offered a one-year extension of the expiring Obamacare (ACA) subsidies. He also proposed creating a bipartisan committee to negotiate the subsidies further once the government reopens, aligning with the GOP’s request for continued discussions.

"Democrats are ready to clear the way to quickly pass a government funding bill that includes healthcare affordability," Schumer said.

"Leader Thune just needs to add a clean, one-year extension of the (Obamacare) tax credits to the CR so that we can immediately address rising healthcare costs. That's not a negotiation. It's an extension of current law, something we do all the time around here," he added.