The NPR Politics Podcast Healthcare Subsidies Aren’t In The Deal To Reopen The Government. What Is?
35 snips
Nov 13, 2025 The recent government shutdown has ended with a deal that funds agencies until late January but leaves healthcare subsidies on the chopping block. A notable provision allows Senate Republicans to sue over seized phone records from the January 6 probe. Tensions rise among House Republicans who feel sidelined, while Democrats concede to prioritize SNAP relief. With ACA subsidies expiring at year-end, the pressure mounts on Congress for a resolution, leaving everyone wondering if January will see another shutdown showdown.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Retroactive Phone-Record Payouts Spark Outrage
- A last-minute Senate provision lets certain Republican senators sue the government for seized phone records and collect about $500,000 plus legal fees.
- Deirdre Walsh says it was slipped into a must-pass funding bill and outraged members of both parties.
Moderates Prioritized Immediate Relief Over Strategy
- Moderate Senate Democrats broke with the caucus to end the shutdown because they feared continued pain for constituents.
- Domenico Montanaro says the choice reflected a split between preventing public harm and sticking to political strategy.
Pledge, Not A Promise, On Health Subsidies
- The Senate deal secured only a pledge for a mid-December vote on extending ACA subsidies, not a guarantee of passage.
- Deirdre Walsh warns the pledge did not ensure a final bill or a House vote would follow.