United States President, Donald Trump, has proposed a potential compromise amid the ongoing government shutdown, urging Republicans to redirect federal funds currently going to health insurance companies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and give the money directly to individuals.
Trump shared his proposal on Truth Social on Saturday, just hours before the U.S. Senate reconvened at noon (1700 GMT) following its rejection on Friday of legislation that would have resumed paychecks for hundreds of thousands of federal workers during the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
Trump wrote, “I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the hundreds of billions of dollars currently being sent to money-sucking insurance companies to support the bad healthcare provided by ObamaCare be sent directly to the people so that they can purchase their own, much better healthcare, and have money left over”.
He added, “In other words, take from the BIG, BAD insurance companies, give it to the people, and terminate, per dollar spent, the worst healthcare anywhere in the world, ObamaCare,” without providing further specifics.
The government shutdown continues as lawmakers remain divided over how to reopen the federal government.
Democrats want a funding bill to include healthcare subsidies set to expire for 24 million Americans at year’s end, while Republicans insist that Congress must first pass a funding bill without conditions, allowing the government to reopen before addressing other issues.
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