Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said public pressure will likely grow on Republicans to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance subsidies, a central issue in the ongoing government shutdown.

The federal government remains largely closed after Senate Republicans and Democrats failed to pass a spending bill Monday to reopen it.

Democrats insist the ACA subsidies, which help over 20 million people afford monthly premiums, must be extended before they expire at the end of the year.

With open enrollment beginning November 1, many Americans using state marketplaces could face sharply higher costs if subsidies lapse.

Jeffries told NPR that the importance of Congress acting to extend the tax credits will soon become “readily apparent” to the public.

Some Republicans have proposed a one-year extension of the subsidies, which Jeffries opposes, arguing it provides only short-term relief, NPR has reported.

GOP Rep. Mike Lawler challenged Jeffries to support the one-year extension, claiming Democrats knew the subsidies would expire.

Jeffries countered that while billionaires receive permanent tax breaks under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, working-class Americans should receive more certainty for health care.

He framed the fight as a matter of fairness and fiscal responsibility, emphasizing that failing to act could leave millions uninsured.

Jeffries stressed that Democrats remain steadfast in their position and continue to push for a longer-term solution to protect ACA beneficiaries.