As the partial federal government shutdown reached its 20th day Monday, local Democrats in Congress aren’t backing down from demands that Republicans extend a hefty health care subsidy that’s currently lowering the cost of care for 1.7 million Californians and tens of thousands of Bay Area residents.

The federal government shut down Oct. 1 amid a bid by Democrats in the U.S. Senate to extend the Affordable Care Act premium tax credit, which has lowered costs for millions nationally since its Biden-era expansion. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has described the credit as a “boondoggle” and slammed Democrats for repeatedly withholding their votes this month in a stop-gap measure to fund the government.

Without an agreement, the credit will expire at the end of December. The Californ

See Full Page