Background on the Vote

Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, has not held back in expressing his disappointment with eight Senate Democrats who sided with Republicans during a crucial procedural vote aimed at advancing a continuing resolution in the U.S. Senate on Sunday. This vote is seen as a pivotal moment regarding the federal government’s funding and subsequent operation.

Sanders’ Response

In a video posted to his X account, Sanders described the actions of these Democrats as “a very, very bad vote.” He stated, “Tonight, 8 Democrats voted with the Republicans to allow them to go forward on this continuing resolution. And to my mind, this was a very, very bad vote.”

Concerns Raised by Sanders

Sanders expressed substantive concerns regarding the continuing resolution, originally intended to provide temporary funding to avert a federal government shutdown. He claimed the resolution included detrimental provisions that would:

• Raise healthcare premiums significantly.
• Lay the groundwork for cuts to Medicaid.
• Provide tax benefits primarily for high-income earners.

“It raises healthcare premiums for over 20 million Americans by doubling, and in some cases tripling or quadrupling them,” Sanders argued. “People can’t afford that when we are already paying the highest prices in the world for healthcare.”

The Human Cost

Further elaborating on the implications of the vote, Sanders warned that the measure could potentially result in “15 million people being thrown off of Medicaid,” indicating that such actions could lead to an estimated “50,000 Americans dying every year unnecessarily.” These statements highlight the serious repercussions that could arise from the legislative decisions made by Congress.

A Call to Action

“As everybody knows, just on Tuesday, we had an election all over this country,” Sanders noted. He emphasized that the recent electoral outcomes signaled a desire among the American populace for progressives to stand against “Trumpism,” which he associates with a detrimental impact on working-class individuals. Sanders lamented, “But tonight, that is not what happened.”

Broader Implications of the Vote

In his video explanation, Sanders framed the procedural vote as a pivotal issue beyond mere government funding; it was indicative of a broader policy direction that, in his view, undermined healthcare protections and the interests of working-class citizens. “We’ve got to go forward, do the best that we can to ensure and protect working-class people,” he urged. “The United States must not only avoid throwing people off of healthcare, but also end the absurdity of being the only major country on earth that doesn’t guarantee healthcare to all people.”

CBO Analysis and Healthcare Impact

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), allowing the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies enacted under the American Rescue Plan to expire could result in millions of Americans facing higher premiums. The CBO’s 2023 analysis indicated that ending these expanded subsidies would significantly increase out-of-pocket costs for those enrolled in ACA marketplaces.

Potential Consequences of Medicaid Cuts

Studies referenced by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), led by Sanders, have estimated that large-scale cuts to Medicaid could lead to tens of thousands of preventable deaths annually. A 2023 HELP Committee report on Sanders’ official website mentioned peer-reviewed research published in reputable health journals that demonstrated the consequences of losing Medicaid coverage, which is linked to higher mortality rates due to reduced access to crucial healthcare services.

Continuing Advocacy for Healthcare Reform

Sanders’ statements reflect his longstanding opposition to what he terms “Republican budget proposals” that prioritize the wealthiest individuals at the expense of working Americans. His commitment to advocating for healthcare reform and better protections for the working class remains a central focus of his legislative agenda.