BREAKING THE GRIDLOCK ACT

On 2026-01-08, Representative Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA-38) delivered a floor speech titled "BREAKING THE GRIDLOCK ACT" in the House. The speech addressed immigration and also covered healthcare, the economy. It referenced legislation including HR1834, HRES780.

BREAKING THE GRIDLOCK ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 5 (Thursday, January 8, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 5 (Thursday, January 8, 2026)] [House] [Pages H213-H227] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] BREAKING THE GRIDLOCK ACT The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 780, the House will proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 1834, which the Clerk will report by title. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 780, the amendment in the nature of a substitute, submitted by Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts, and printed in the Congressional Record of November 12, 2025, is adopted and the bill, as amended, is considered read. The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows: H.R. 1834 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF ENHANCED PREMIUM TAX CREDIT. (a) Extension of Rules To Increase Premium Assistance Amounts._Clause (iii) of section 36B(b)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended_ (1) in the heading, by striking ``through 2025'' and inserting ``through 2028'', and (2) in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking ``before January 1, 2026'' and inserting ``before January 1, 2029''. (b) Extension of Rule To Allow Credit to Taxpayers Whose Household Income Exceeds 400 Percent of Poverty Line._Subparagraph (E) of section 36B(c)(1) of such Code is amended_ (1) in the heading, by striking ``through 2025'' and inserting ``through 2028'', and (2) by striking ``before January 1, 2026'' and inserting ``before January 1, 2029''. (c) Effective Date._The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025. [[Page H214]] TEXT HAS BEEN REDACTED [[Page H215]] TEXT HAS BEEN REDACTED [[Page H216]] TEXT HAS BEEN REDACTED [[Page H217]] TEXT FIRST COLUMN AND FIRST PARAGRAPH SECOND COLUMN HAS BEEN REDACTED =========================== NOTE =========================== On January 8, 2026, from page H213, third column, to page H217, second column, the following appeared: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Breaking the Gridlock Act'' ... the activities of the Energy Information Administration, $1,000,000, to remain available until expended. The online version has been corrected to read: SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF ENHANCED PREMIUM TAX CREDIT. (a) Extension of Rules To Increase Premium Assistance Amounts._Clause (iii) of section 36B(b)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended_ (1) in the heading, by striking ``through 2025'' and inserting ``through 2028'', and (2) in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking ``before January 1, 2026'' and inserting ``before January 1, 2029''. (b) Extension of Rule To Allow Credit to Taxpayers Whose Household Income Exceeds 400 Percent of Poverty Line._Subparagraph (E) of section 36B(c)(1) of such Code is amended_ (1) in the heading, by striking ``through 2025'' and inserting ``through 2028'', and (2) by striking ``before January 1, 2026'' and inserting ``before January 1, 2029''. (c) Effective Date._The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025. [[Page H214]] TEXT HAS BEEN REDACTED [[Page H215]] TEXT HAS BEEN REDACTED [[Page H216]] TEXT HAS BEEN REDACTED [[Page H217]] TEXT FIRST COLUMN AND FIRST PARAGRAPH SECOND COLUMN HAS BEEN REDACTED ========================END NOTE =========================== The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill, as amended, shall be debatable for 1 hour, equally divided and controlled by the majority leader and the minority leader, or their respective designees. The gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) each will control 30 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith). General Leave Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Missouri? There was no objection. Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to $100 billion worth of bailouts for a broken system that is fueled by Democratic mandates. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to subsidizing insurance plans for wealthy people. Any support for the bill ensures that subsidies go to wealthy families making as much as $600,000 a year. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to using hard-earned taxpayer dollars to bail Democrats out of their own decision_their own decision_to make this COVID-era spending temporary so that they could give Green New Deal tax breaks to the wealthy for electric vehicles and solar panels. They had the option. They had the option to make it permanent twice, whether it was in the American Rescue Plan or the Inflation Reduction Act. Instead, they wanted to put their resources into their wealthy environmentalists. Check the math. Nearly half of all Americans get their insurance from their employer, nearly a quarter from Medicaid, and a bit less than that from Medicare. Mr. Speaker, only 7 percent of the population relies on ObamaCare marketplace plans. This Chamber should be about helping 100 percent of Americans, and lowering the cost of healthcare and premiums, not just 7 percent. Mr. Speaker, it is shameful that Democrats are only focusing on 7 percent of the population while ignoring the millions of working families who are struggling to afford healthcare. Since ObamaCare was enacted, premiums have increased by 80 percent. Since ObamaCare was enacted_let me say that again_the premiums have increased by 80 percent. Deductibles and out-of-pocket costs have skyrocketed. Families worry about medical debt_that is, those who still have access to doctors. In fact, 150 rural hospitals have closed since passage of ObamaCare, and small businesses were crushed under the weight of the new mandates. Not only did Democrats refuse to fix any of this, but they want to make it permanent at a cost of $400 billion. No thanks, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, reverting these tax credits back to the original structure that the Democrats designed means that 93 percent of enrollees will still retain very generous subsidies next year. Mr. Speaker, 60 percent of the enrollees will still have access to a plan at or below $50 a month. I represent one of the poorest congressional districts in the country, and still, 99.7 percent of my constituents in my district, one of the poorest congressional districts, will be unaffected by this expiration. This is all about subsidizing the wealthy, so why are we even having this debate? It is because Democrats chose to make these giveaways temporary_not once, but twice, Mr. Speaker_as part of their partisan spending bills. The reason they did so was to shower the rich with Green New Deal subsidies, which they made permanent. We reversed those in the big, beautiful bill. Mr. Speaker, here is a word you won't hear from Democrats: ``fraud.'' They forced taxpayers to pay up to $27 billion for as many as 6.4 million individuals fraudulently enrolled in the ObamaCare plans. Nearly half of all enrollees_that is, 12 million people_didn't even file one single medical claim, not even a prescription, all year, last year. It sounds like they didn't even know that they had insurance through ObamaCare, but those insurance companies were subsidized, almost half of them, on the exchanges. 1540 If Democrats think that is not a problem, that is pretty scary. I called on the Government Accountability Office to investigate. They created fictitious ObamaCare applicants with fake documentation, and 100 percent_not some, but 100 percent; not half, but 100 percent_were approved in the first year, and 90 percent are still being subsidized, resulting in checks worth more than $12,000 per month going to insurance companies. One Social Security number was associated with more than 125 different ObamaCare policies. One Social Security number was tied to more than 125 policies_waste, fraud, abuse. Apparently, the other side doesn't see that. They don't see the truth. In fact, more than 58,000 dead people were being subsidized, according to the Government Accountability Office. In response, Democrats only brag about higher health insurance enrollment. They are really celebrating. [[Page H218]] What they are celebrating is subsidizing insurers for people without a pulse. For Democrats, fraud comes first. Mr. Speaker, Republicans are putting real, living Americans first. Republicans blocked illegal immigrants' access to taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits, then eliminated over $185 billion worth of fraud and waste in the ObamaCare marketplace. For Americans who are eligible, Republicans actually lowered ObamaCare premiums and expanded access to health savings accounts, direct primary care, and telehealth for millions, including ObamaCare enrollees, as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts. There was $50 billion invested in the healthcare needs of rural communities. The Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act was passed, which also lowered premiums even further, as well as provided more freedom and flexibility for healthcare access and increased competition by negotiating better drug prices for workers. Mr. Speaker, I will take greater access to affordable healthcare any day over shoveling more tax dollars into Democrats' healthcare fraud schemes. I oppose this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this argument is about universal access. For years, the Republican leadership in this institution has attempted to avert this very moment. For us this is not to be about spiking the football. This is not to be 

Referenced legislation: HRES780, HRES780, HR1834