On the eighth day of the ongoing 2025 government shutdown, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Mike Lawler erupted into a public confrontation outside Jeffries’ news conference. Lawler confronted Jeffries over the bipartisan proposal to extend ObamaCare subsidies, demanding his support. Jeffries, in turn, accused Lawler of being beholden to former President Donald Trump, sparking an angry exchange that included personal insults and accusations of party failure. The escalating tension highlights the bitter partisan divide over federal funding, with Democrats insisting on ObamaCare subsidies as a key bargaining chip before agreeing to end the shutdown. The House Democrats have rejected the Republican-led funding bill for the sixth time, ensuring the shutdown will likely extend into its ninth day.
Lawler’s challenge to Jeffries came in a contentious discussion on the merits of the ObamaCare subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of 2025 without congressional action. Democrats have made it clear they will not agree to a funding bill that does not include an extension of these subsidies, which they argue are critical for mitigating healthcare costs and inflation. The bipartisan legislation, which includes a one-year extension of the pandemic-era enhancements to the subsidies, is seen as a potential pathway to ending the shutdown but has yet to gain sufficient bipartisan support. Lawler, however, pressed Jeffries to sign onto the bill, suggesting that the Democratic leader’s refusal indicates a lack of political courage.
Jeffries, undeterred, turned the debate to the broader implications of the shutdown, accusing Republicans of failing to address the financial burden on federal agencies and the impact on furloughed workers. He also took aim at Lawler for his voting record on the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act, which he claimed had led to the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. The exchange, which became increasingly heated, included pointed questions about Lawler’s loyalty to Trump and his party’s stance on key healthcare policies. The two lawmakers, at times, spoke over each other, underscoring the depth of their disagreements.
The confrontation between Jeffries and Lawler unfolded hours after House Speaker Mike Johnson had a tense standoff with a pair of Senate Democrats who were seeking his endorsement for Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva. Senate Democrats have continued to reject the Republican-led funding bill, indicating that the shutdown is likely to persist for several more days. Meanwhile, the House has passed a measure to extend fiscal year (FY) 2025 funding levels through November 21, giving lawmakers more time to negotiate a long-term budget deal for FY 2026. However, with Democrats unwilling to compromise on the ObamaCare subsidy issue, the prospect of an end to the shutdown remains uncertain.