SAT . Government shutdown updates: Johnson says he’d administer oath to Grijalva ‘on the 1st day we come back’

Jeffries predicts GOP will feel heat in November — after start of open enrollment

Despite speculation that the start of the Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment period might provide an off ramp to the shutdown, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries signaled that even after Nov. 1, Democrats will continue the fight — confident that public sentiment will support their decision to withhold their votes to reopen the government in the pursuit of health care reforms.

“If we don’t address the Republican health care crisis in advance of open enrollment on November 1, it will become even more apparent to everyday Americans why we need to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, because by that point, tens of millions of people across the country will realize that their health insurance premiums, co-pays and deductibles have skyrocketed beyond what’s affordable because of Republican inaction,” Jeffries predicted.

While Democrats have called for a permanent extension of the tax credits to the tune of $400 billion over the next decade, Republicans have rejected calls to negotiate while the government is shut down.

Nevertheless, Jeffries continues to signal a desire to engage in bipartisan negotiations — with legislation to lower the cost of health care at the forefront of his demands.

“Our position has been that we are open, certainly, to anything bipartisan that emerges from the Senate in good faith, that reopens the government, but at the same time decisively addresses the Republican health care crisis, which includes, but is not limited to, extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits, because that needs to be done with urgency, given the fact that open enrollment starts on November 1,” he said.

The House cancelled legislative business again this week and lawmakers have been back in their districts for more than a month waiting for the gridlock to lift.

“It’s extraordinary to me that for four consecutive weeks, House Republicans are on vacation. They’ve canceled votes week after week after week after week. Where are you?” Jeffries said. “I mean, you’re in the legislative witness protection program. It’s extraordinary that we’re here again, fourth consecutive week, and House Republicans are nowhere to be found.”

Jeffries told reporters that he and Speaker Mike Johnson had a conversation over the weekend, but he refused to detail any of the conversation.

“Speaker Johnson and I had a conversation this weekend,” Jeffries deadpanned, stopping short of saying anything else about it. “Thank you everyone.”