Sacramento-Area Congress Members Bera, Matsui Push Bipartisan Deal to End Shutdown, Protect ACA Subsidies

Sacramento's two Democratic congressional representatives, Ami Bera and Doris Matsui, are reaching out to their constituents as the federal government shutdown extends past a week, urging House leadership to return to the negotiating table to pass a bipartisan solution.

The lawmakers are highlighting the personal effects of the shutdown and focusing their outreach on the need for a bipartisan agreement that would not only reopen the government but also reduce health care costs.

Bera emphasized the urgency of the situation, announcing that he recently held a press conference (see video below) urging Speaker Mike Johnson to call Congress back to D.C. Bera stated that he wants to pass a bipartisan agreement to reopen the federal government and extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, which he says are "critical to keeping health care affordable for 24 million Americans."

He noted that this includes 28,000 people in his own district. Bera warned that Californians are already receiving notices that their premiums will "skyrocket" if Congress does not act by the end of the year, by pointing out that a 60-year-old Sacramento County couple earning $82,800 a year could see a "staggering $23,568 more out of pocket" due to a 628 percent increase in annual health insurance premiums.

The Congressman stressed that families would face an "impossible choice: take on an unsustainable financial burden or go without coverage altogether".

In addition to health care, Bera cited other harms from the ongoing shutdown, including the effects on families visiting national parks, troops, and federal workers "on the verge of missing a paycheck."

He concluded his message by stating, "It's time for Speaker Johnson to come back to the negotiating table."

Rep. Matsui is directly soliciting feedback from her constituents regarding a path forward. In a message to "Dear Friends and Neighbors," she noted that the shutdown is "more than a week into the federal government shutdown".

Matsui's office, which she stated, "remains open and working for you," is conducting a survey that asks a single question: "Do you support a bipartisan solution to reopen the government and make health care more affordable?"

She positioned her party's stance by saying Democrats "have been clear: We want to negotiate a bipartisan agreement that reopens the government while lowering health care costs".

Matsui asserted that because Speaker Johnson has canceled House votes, "the House cannot vote on any bipartisan solution to reopen the government or reduce the cost of health care."

She pledged that Democrats "remain ready to meet with anyone, anytime and anywhere to negotiate bipartisan solutions for the American people."

Both representatives are leveraging multiple digital platforms, urging constituents to follow them on social media platforms for the latest updates on their work.