Rep. Langworthy Not Committing To Voting On ACA Enhanced Tax Credits Extension

Rep. Nick Langworthy (NY-23) talked about the federal governmental shutdown in a press conference with the media (November 11, 2025)

Congressman Nick Langworthy is declining to commit to voting for an extension of Affordable Care Act enhanced subsidies.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune promised Democrats a floor vote on an extension of the tax credits will occur in December, part of a deal struck with seven Democrats and one independent to advance the spending bill to end the federal governmental shutdown. The continuing resolution does not include an extension of enhanced premium tax credits to support Americans who purchase health insurance through the individual marketplace. The credits expire January 1.

Langworthy said during a media conference that there are a lot of questions about the COVID-era tax credits that were initially set up in 2020 to sunset after five years, “Now, obviously we’re three years removed from the pandemic ending. And we really have to look forward and have a robust debate about what exactly should be included in what is it. I’m very concerned about the rising price of healthcare, but shoveling money with no reforms just out of the pocket of the taxpayer does not solve the problem. It enriches the insurer.”

Langworthy emphasized that the Affordable Care Act general subsidies remain, “The enhanced premium tax credit was a Covid emergency spending bucket. That is unsettling. There’s some people that make $300,000 or $400,000 a year that are somehow leveraging that into free health care. I don’t agree with that. I don’t agree that people that you know should just be in a market based program should be getting an extra supplement for the taxpayers. These programs should be there for the most needy among us.”

Contrary to Langworthy’s assertion that some people making more than $300,000 a year are getting free healthcare under the enhanced subsidies, people who make more than 400% of the federal poverty level currently pay 8.5% of their income for the premiums.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said in October that if the tax credits are not renewed, a single person in Chautauqua County making $65,000 a year will see their premiums increase $104.30 a month, or $1,251.60 annually. A family of four making $130,000 will see premiums increase $212.26 a month or $2,547.12 annually.

Senate Democrats had been prolonging the record shutdown in order to try to force the Republicans to agree to extending the ACA tax credits. That effort failed when seven Democratic Senators and one Independent Senator joined Republicans in voting for a continuing resolution Sunday night.