Washington D.C — Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) and Americans affected by the Republican shutdown’s effects on the Affordable Care Act and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) joined Unrig Our Economy for a press call. During the call, they highlighted the damage that the Republican government shutdown is inflicting on everyday people, and how Republicans’ refusal to extend vital health care tax credits will drastically raise costs and kick people off their health insurance.
Here are some of the key highlights from the call, which you can watch here:
“My biggest issue in Congress has been making sure that kids eat. We need concrete assurances that health care will be protected, that babies will be fed, that communities won’t go hungry, and we need that before the ink dries, not a date for a potential later discussion or a potential later vote,” said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) discussing the government shutdown. “We cannot give up on the American people. We cannot exchange their health and their future and their stability and security for promises that we’re not even sure will be kept.”
“I work with new parents who are terrified of losing access to WIC. [WIC] was already underfunded. State departments were already figuring out how to keep these benefits available to the families who needed them. WIC is not a luxury. It is a lifeline,” said Dr. DeShawn Taylor, a board-certified OB/GYN, clinical professor, and owner of Desert Star Family Planning in Arizona. “We need to reopen the government immediately, stop cutting the health care that my patients rely on, and protect Americans from higher premiums so that every family can afford to feed and care for their loved ones.”
“Three years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer, but, earlier this year, I got laid off from my job in a nonprofit sector. Especially with health insurance in question there, I’ve been looking for something since. I was able to get a really sweet policy on the marketplace. So currently, I only pay about $8 a month,” said Lori Hunt, an Iowa resident who relies on ACA tax credits. “Without that premium tax credit, my premium would be more than my mortgage payment. I think it’s important for us to tell our stories and to come out and demand that Congress come back to the table to work on this.”
“Our son was born with a heart condition that required multiple surgeries, and eventually led to a heart transplant at just 6 weeks old. So when I say that health care and health insurance is not an option for our house, it is an absolute must. It’s an absolute necessity. I’m not joking,” said Steve Gomez, an Arizona resident whose family relies on ACA tax credits and Medicaid. “Like many families in Arizona, we have yet to receive our premium increase estimate for 2026, and that scares the hell out of us. [Republicans chose] to prioritize billionaires and corporations and their tax breaks…[and] are going to cost millions of Americans their health care, and eventually may cost some their lives.”
“I work part-time, but most of my energy definitely is giving to my boys, raising and caring for them. So I want to share today how the WIC program has impacted our family and benefited us. I participated in WIC for 2 years when I [had] my second son,” said Skylar Falter, a Nebraska resident, mother of two, and former WIC recipient. “Thanks to WIC, we were able to bring home more nutritious food, which is huge when you’re raising young, wild kids that want to eat a lot, and you’re on a tight budget. With prices going really high at the grocery store, I’ve seriously thought about re-enrolling in the program. My youngest is still eligible, but honestly, with the shutdowns and the uncertainty around it I’m hesitant, because I don’t want to get my hopes up or go through something only for the program to be paused.”
Watch the full press call here.
To learn more about the campaign, visit UnrigOurEconomy.com or contact press@unrigoureconomy.com
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About Unrig Our Economy
Unrig Our Economy is a national campaign to fix the rules of our economy to make it work for working people. We know that when the middle class does well, all of us do well — which is why we’re fighting on behalf of working Americans and holding corporations, their wealthy executives, and the politicians who enable them accountable.