Missouri’s two Democratic U.S. House members are supporting U.S. Senate Democrats as they continue to vote against reopening the federal government.
Wesley Bell, who represents St. Louis and parts of St. Louis County in Congress, said healthcare subsidies need to be added to the federal government funding bill.
“The cost of health care is skyrocketing,” he told Missourinet. “If we don’t extend the subsidies…working class families are (going to) see premiums increase by 75%. Out of pocket costs will double.”
There’s still no breakthrough in the federal government shutdown, now more than three weeks old. U.S. Senate Democrats still want an additional $1.5 trillion in healthcare spending added to the temporary funding bill, while Republicans want to pass it as-is and negotiate on healthcare after the government reopens. Bell said that he does not trust Republicans to keep their word.
“We’ve seen healthcare cut, (the) Medicaid cut, and we’re talking in my state, in my district, thousands of people who could lose their healthcare and more people whose healthcare costs will rise,” Bell said. “So, this problem can’t wait. And I don’t think this is asking a whole lot to say, ‘hey, let’s extend the subsidies.’”
U.S. Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo. 7th District, has compared Senate Democrats to Hamas, saying they’re using the salaries of American servicemen and women as leverage in the same way the terrorist group used Israeli hostages as leverage. Bell called the comments “inflammatory” and don’t help with efforts to reopen the government.
“We all care about national security. We all care about the well-being of our troops,” he said. “I serve on (the) Armed Services (committee), and I’ve introduced legislation supporting our armed service members.”
Meanwhile, Bell is sponsoring legislation designed to ensure that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can distribute disaster relief funds during government shutdowns.
“The idea came from the severe storms and tornadoes that hit the St. Louis region this spring,” he said. “I don’t think that governmental dysfunction should impact resources that folks of these types of natural disasters and tragedies should receive.”
So far, there has not been any pause in relief payments during the shutdown to any disaster areas; although, funding for long-term projects around the country has been delayed.
“The problem is, as we see these disasters increase, those funds from the…from the disaster, those disaster recovery funds are finite,” Bell said.
Specifically, his bill would give the Director of FEMA the authority to continue providing relief dollars through the government’s Disaster Relief Fund during a government shutdown.
Cancellation of federal grant for St. Louis battery plant
Questions remain about whether a planned battery factory will be built in the St. Louis area after the Trump Administration yanked a $197 million grant that would have helped fund construction. Bell told Missourinet he hopes a way can be found to still build the plant.
“What we’re seeing is not only myself and Democrats, but also Republicans standing up to pressure the administration to, in fact, not do that,” he said.
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo. 2nd Dist., said she’s also talking with the Trump Administration and the company that wants to build the battery plant in order to find a solution.
According to the St. Louis Business Journal, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the grant cut and other cuts are meant to save taxpayer dollars.
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