ICYMI: Senators Coons presses Republicans to defend Americans’ health care in joint C-SPAN interview with Senator Lankford

WASHINGTON - In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) appeared in a joint interview with James Lankford (R-Okla.) on C-SPAN's Ceasefire this weekend with host Dana Burns for a wide-ranging conversation about the ongoing government shutdown, the fight over health care, and the need for bipartisan negotiation.

Throughout the interview, Senator Coons prioritized the real-life impact of the government shutdown on Delawareans and families nationwide. He highlighted how federal employees and civilian military personnel are missing paychecks, families are losing vital federal food assistance, and those who rely on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are at risk of losing access to affordable health care.

"This is hurting folks who work for the federal government. I'm getting calls from Dover Air Force Base, from folks who work at Philadelphia as air traffic controllers, from the folks who are federal law enforcement saying, 'What the heck are you doing?' " said Senator Coons. "And I'm getting calls from Delawareans saying, 'We can't absorb a huge increase in our health insurance-stop this.' So, we need to negotiate around both these issues."

"I was on the phone with a couple from Delaware this week, where he was in a car accident that disabled him several years ago, and she's now developed cancer," Senator Coons continued. "They only have health care because of the Affordable Care Act. If it doubles as it's projected to-if they lose their expanded tax credit-they can't afford health care."

Senator Coons noted that at the center of the shutdown gridlock is a fight over health care and the ACA tax credits that keep premiums affordable [for more than 20 million Americans]. He said that Democrats are willing to discuss options, but that negotiations have stalled due to a lack of trust and communication among Congressional leaders.

"Part of what has eroded the trust that is essential to negotiating in good faith is the ways in which President Trump, through both DOGE and actions by the OMB director, illegally took billions of dollars away from appropriated programs," said Senator Coons. He added later on, "Democrats are willing, if not eager, to talk about, to improve program integrity around the Affordable Care Act and sustain it. A core reason why we didn't have shutdowns during the Biden administration was they were negotiating."

Senator Coons also highlighted recent examples of bipartisanship in the Senate, citing his and Senator Lankford's work on the Ethics Committee and on appropriations bills that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support out of committee.

"We've passed several significant bills-defense and labor appropriations-by 26 to 3," said Senator Coons. "These are really bipartisan bills. So, at least on our committee, we are making the progress James is calling for. Part of the challenge is, the House is out of session. The president's about to leave the country for a week. We need all three sides, not just in the same city, but actually talking to each other."

You can watch the full interview here.