By David Morgan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on Tuesday the 28-day U.S. government shutdown could stretch into November, when millions face soaring health insurance costs from expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits — raising pressure on lawmakers to resolve the impasse as enrollment begins.
With hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed, others working without pay and federal food assistance due to end in days, neither Schumer nor his Republican counterpart,
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, has shown much inclination to end the standoff or mitigate its debilitating effects.
The Senate rejected a stopgap funding bill for the 13th time on Tuesday as Democrats insisted Republicans extend expiring tax credits for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Without action, premiums will spike for millions enrolling in 2026 coverage when the healthcare marketplace opens on Saturday.
"On November 1, people in more than 30 states are going to be aghast - aghast - when they see their bills, and they're going to cry out. And I believe there will be increased pressure on Republicans to negotiate with us," Schumer told reporters when asked about his strategy to end the shutdown.
Democrats want to extend the expiring health insurance tax credits, while Republicans insist that Democrats must first vote to reopen the government.
The current partial government shutdown would become the longest in U.S. history next Wednesday, surpassing a 35-day closure that occurred in 2018-2019 during President Donald Trump's first term in office.
More than 41 million people are set to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also known as food stamps, at the end of this month as the shutdown keeps Congress from funding the program.
At a Tuesday policy lunch, Senate Republicans discussed the possibility of using "rifle shot" legislation to pay troops, air traffic controllers and extend SNAP benefits. But Thune ruled out that option after Democrats voted down a Republican bill to pay federal employees, military members and contractors who have worked through the shutdown.
"I don't understand the thinking or the rationale behind doing these one-off rifle shots," Thune told reporters. "Why wouldn't you just open it up and have everybody get their benefits?"
Schumer said Democrats would introduce their own legislation to extend food assistance, which Republicans are unlikely to support.
(Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Howard Goller)
