Dear neighbor,

On October 1, Trump and Republicans shut down the federal government.

Inflation is rising, our economy is weak, and now, Republicans want to inflict the biggest increase in health insurance costs in 15 years.

Let’s be very clear about this: Republicans control the White House, the House, and the Senate. House Republicans did not even come back to DC to vote to avert the shutdown.

Unlike Republicans, Democrats were in DC this week. We were ready to prevent a shutdown and protect health care. Republicans were nowhere to be found – they were on vacation. Trust me, I looked all around the Capitol, and I couldn’t find a single congressional Republican willing to do their job and meet the needs of the American people. See for yourself:

Democrats understand the urgency of this moment. In our community in CA-36, 36,000 people will see their health care costs increase if Republicans let the Affordable Care Act tax credits expire. For a 60-year-old couple earning $82,000 a year, their annual premium will increase by nearly $14,000. This is in addition to the $500 billion in cuts to Medicare and the 27,765 people who will lose health care coverage because of the cuts to Medi-Cal in the Big Ugly Law.

As the shutdown continues, I understand there might be increased confusion and concerns about federal programs. While the Trump Administration has not been fully transparent about their shutdown plans and has threatened to manipulate the shutdown for political gain, my team and I have compiled some frequently asked questions based on past shutdowns. Please visit lieu.house.gov/shutdownFAQ for more information.

I am fighting to stop the shutdown, cancel the Republican cuts, lower costs, and save health care. My office remains open, and I encourage you to reach out to see if we can be of assistance. My Los Angeles office is available to help you with issues with federal agencies at (323) 651-1040, or you can visit our federal assistance webpage here.

I look forward to updating you again soon.

Warmly,

Ted