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To expand the conversation, We're joined now by Congressman Jason Smith. He's a Republican representing Missouri's eighth congressional district and chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Congressman, thanks so much for joining, and it's good to see you. I want to ask about these recent comments from Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who says it might be time to start thinking about having the House come back into session because this stop gap bill that they are voting on
would only fund the government until November twenty first. Is a November twenty first stop gap still viable at this point?
Well, it's hard to predict the actions of the Democrats because right now they've been stalling a very basic, clean continuation of funding. What we need to see in the House representatives for the Senate to send us some kind of funding bill. They need to figure out what they can pass in that side of the building. Unfortunately, because of the filibuster you have Democrats that's preventing a vote.
If they would just allow a vote on the continuing Resolution that they have voted for numerous times in the past, we would be able to open government, we'd be able to fund government. Chuck Schumer voted for a continuing resolution just like this thirteen times when Biden was president, in fact, as recent as this past March.
Well, I know that you've been very consistent in your views on this, mister Chairman, and it's good to have you back on Bloomberg. You probably heard the conversation we were just having, and it's causing some heads to explode here in Washington. The idea of a full year CR being the only way out of this, is that a non starter for you? And what does it tell us about where we stand on Capitol Hill.
So I've been hearing this conversation from senators, from House members that a CR not just for a year but to December first of next year. This has been conversations that I've been hearing in Washington, DC. And we just need to make sure that government is open and serving the American people, and we need to make sure that government is not at risk of political games, which we're seeing played right now by the House and Senate Democrats.
So just for clarity, Congressman, is that's something that's really on the table. Would you be where do you fall on this idea of a longer term government funding bill.
I strongly support a longer, longer term continued resolution. I would support that until December first. I think that that would allow more stability for our economy, stability for the American people. The fact that we had the whip of the House Democrats just recently say on TV that, yes, people are hurting in the shutdown, but this is our leverage. It is unfortunate that people believe making the American folks
hurt as leverage. That's unacceptable. That is why I would support a longer term continued resolution.
Are we talking December first, weeks from now or December first, twenty twenty six, mister chairman.
December twenty first, twenty twenty six is what I've been hearing up here as a suggestion as an opportunity of a continued resolutions. As we know, we're operating under a year long resolution from last year. We're looking at what was appropriated when Biden was president.
Yeah, that's which is one of the ironies of this whole debate that now Republicans are urging Democrats to vote for Joe Biden's budget plan. Would that still allow for a debate over Obamacare subsidies. Is that something that you're interested in for your constituents as open enrollment is set to begin.
Well, first, let me let me just respond to the fact that Republicans, if they completely had their way, they would actually want to reduce the amount of funding from Biden levels. But that's not how it's able to work up here with the Natbold rule over in the United States Senate, and so that was our issue in regards
to the subsidies for insurance companies. This is something that we've been willing to discuss throughout this whole time, and it's something that needs a lot of discussion because access to healthcare is essential for Americans. We need to make sure that we're talking about access for all Americans, not just twenty four million Americans, but three hundred and forty seven million Americans. Well.
Cenate majority leader John Thune has floated that there could be an up and down vote once the government reopens on a one year extension of these expiring Affordable Care Act premium subsidies, but Democrats say that they don't want to get on board with that because there's no guarantee
that such a vote would happen in the House. Do you think that this is something that hous Speaker Mike Johnson should bring to the floor so there is at least this debate on perhaps structural changes or some sort of extension down the road.
I would not be support of a one year extension period without reforms. There has to be reforms the corruption that's within the program. There's twenty four million people that are on the Obamacare exchanges. Half of them last year, that's twelve million didn't even file a claim. Why did those twelve million not file a claim. I'm sure it's because they didn't even know that they were on the exchanges.
But guess what those insurance companies, they received the subsidized premiums for it, even though they didn't even provide the health care for it. These are the simple kind of reforms that need to be addressed and need to be explained. We also shouldn't be subsidizing premiums for people who make more than four hundred percent of the federal poverty level, people who make six hundred thousand dollars a year. I don't think Americans are good with that.
Well, what I appreciate this conversation because it's more detailed than just about any that we've heard. It's time to start getting down to this debate. Congressman, I'm wondering what should be the timeline. Do you want to go down the road of permanently extending subsidies with those callers on them as Democrats have suggested, make it permanent or should these be sunset after a year or more.
You know, everything has to be looked at and has to be on the table. I don't want to set any limits pros and cons and negotiate an agreement in the press. But what we need to do is have Republicans and Democrats come together and figure out what is best to creating more access to healthcare for all Americans,
not just people on exchanges, but all Americans. There's one hundred and seventy four million Americans that are an employee health insurance, but that employee health insurance is quite expensive, so we need to look at all different ways to help lower the cost of health care.
Congressman, I also want to ask you about something else that the government shutdown has impacted, which is economic aid for farmers. Now, the Trump administration says that it is planning to unveil three billion dollars worth of such economic assistance tomorrow. Actually, I've learned that Missouri, your state, is one of the top three soybean producing states in the country.
I'm wondering how you are looking ahead to this meeting between potential meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Jijiping. What's going to happen if China does not agree to purchase agreements for our US farmers, particularly related to soybeans.
Let me tell you what the Chinese have done to US soybean farmers alone has been atrocious. Typically, in the average year, China purchases somewhere between twelve to fifteen billion dollars worth of soybeans a year from the United States. They have not purchased one dollar this year, and so that that ter be on the table. That has to be something that's being discussed, because that is drastically affecting the commodity prices here in the United States. I represent
Southeast Missouri. We have more soybean farmers in Southeast Missouri than the entire state of Missouri, and these folks are facing some dire dire situations. I'm glad that the President has said that he's going to take care of the farmers. It's extremely important that he does that. But we need to make sure that China opens up their markets if they want us to purchase their products.
It does seem punitive at this point, Congressman, we only have thirty seconds left. Is that how you see it?
Well, what the Chinese have done is clearly punitive. It was for a punitive measure, much like how they've been restricting critical minerals and rare earth to try to be punitive to the world that is unstable. That's why there's so many concerns about trading with the Chinese. Fully, they'll be able to get to a common ground in their meeting.
Yeah, really fascinating conversation. Congressman Jason Smith, Republican Missouri chairs the House Ways and Means Committee and has been knee deep in this shutdown. Congressman, thank you. It's great to have your insights here on Bloomberg