With the government shutdown over, the Republican-led Congress is slowly turning its full attention to the issue that was at the heart of the shutdown: rapidly rising healthcare costs. 

The longest government shutdown in American history ended this week, but the fallout questions remain as Americans in D.C. and beyond navigate the path ahead. 

Congress has yet to address healthcare costs as millions of Americans grapple with rising premiums. Though the shutdown deal offers some relief for government employees who were furloughed and laid off, federal workers will be returning to agencies under an administration that continues to devalue their work. And while the government is now funded through the end of January on a continuing resolution (CR), lawmakers must take on the difficult task of passing nine more appropriations bills or pass yet another CR before February to avert another government shutdown.

Today, the government shutdown stretched to its 38th day, the longest in U.S. history, as tensions escalated in the Senate and the consequences felt by the American people continue to mount.

This afternoon, Senate Democrats offered a new pathway to end the shutdown led by a clean, one-year extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits that would prevent the doubling of health insurance premiums for more than 24 million Americans. At press time, the proposal was still being debated on the floor, while reports indicated Republicans would huddle later this afternoon.

Today, two district court judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts ruled the Administration has illegally withheld funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), resulting in 42 million Americans set to lose access to food assistance starting on Saturday. In Massachusetts, the Trump Administration is required to submit a report to the judge on Monday. In Rhode Island, the judge is mandating that the Administration release the funding immediately. It’s unclear whether the Administration will appeal these decisions, given that would put them in the posture of suing to block itself from delivering food to hungry children and families. Whether it chooses to or not, the district court decisions have thrown another twist in the ever-changing narrative around the federal government shutdown. 

The Trump Administration’s refusal to utilize statutorily-required emergency reserve funding set aside for the program will result in the first time ever that the program has run out of federal funds. Even if the Administration changes course, there is not enough time at this point to get assistance to enrollees without at least some gap in benefits.

In just one week, the open enrollment period for Affordable Care Act health plans will begin, and millions of Americans will see sharp increases in their healthcare premiums due to the expiration of the Obamacare subsidies. In some states across the country, Americans are already getting an early look at what this post-subsidy healthcare landscape will look like: significantly higher costs and fewer options for millions of Americans.

As voters become increasingly aware of the looming healthcare issue, pressure continues to ramp up on Republicans. This week, 13 House Republicans urged Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to address the expiring Obamacare credits.