Mike Lawler: “for 43 days, the Democrats shut down the government, and they said it was over the issue of the ACA premium tax credits.…”

“for 43 days, the Democrats shut down the government, and they said it was over the issue of the ACA premium tax credits. I went and confronted Leader Jeffries, and I asked him to sign on to a 1-year extension. He refused. When the government finally opened, I and a number of my Republican and Democratic colleagues sat down in good faith to negotiate an extension of the ACA premium tax credits with reforms because we recognized that this system, as designed, is not working, that ObamaCare is not actually reducing healthcare costs in America. In fact, since it took effect, healthcare premiums have risen by 96 percent, but we understood that to allow the premium tax credits to expire would hurt the American people. We sat down and negotiated, and we came up with several plans and compromises along the way to ensure not only that there was an extension but that we did eliminate fraud, that we did hold the insurance companies accountable, and that we did actually start to reduce costs. We have put those bills forward on the floor in two separate discharge petitions. Eleven Republicans have signed on to those discharge petitions. Now, why is that necessary? Because House Republican leadership will not allow a vote. It is idiotic and shameful. We have been forced to sign on to two discharge petitions, and yet my Democratic colleagues will not join us but for those that were at the negotiation table.…”