'Embarrassing yourself': Top Democrat tells GOP rep he's 'going down' in fiery exchange

In a sharp confrontation on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Rep. Mike Lawler (R‑N.Y.) approached House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D‑N.Y.) and asked whether Jeffries would formally support the Republican‑led bill to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits amid a government shutdown.

Jeffries reportedly replied, “You're embarrassing yourself in your district right now, and you're going down to defeat."

Lawler pressed Jeffries following a Democratic press conference touting their own proposal. The exchange took place in front of Congressional reporters and was caught on camera.

The federal government has been shut down since Oct. 1 after Congress failed to enact funding legislation for fiscal year 2026. Approximately 900,000 federal employees have been furloughed, while another 700,000 “essential” workers are on the job without pay.

Many agencies, from the NIH to the CDC, have curtailed operations, and services like Capitol tours and regulatory reviews are largely suspended. At the heart of the standoff is the fight over enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits, expanded during the Covid-19 pandemic and due to expire at year’s end if not extended.

Democrats have made continuation of these subsidies a condition for any spending deal to reopen government.

Republican leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), have insisted that funding the government must come first and that health care policy debates can follow.

Analysts warn that without the enhanced credits, health insurance premiums in the ACA marketplaces could more than double in 2026.

Insurers and marketplace administrators say the window is closing: Open enrollment begins November 1, and consumers could receive notices reflecting much higher premiums unless Congress acts soon.