Senator Lankford on Government Shutdown, Back Pay, and Healthcare Negotiations

Government Shutdown and Federal Worker Pay

• 🏛️ Senator James Lankford states that the Senate GOP is 'not even close' to the 60 votes needed to end the government shutdown.
• 💡 He believes federal employees should receive back pay after a shutdown, citing existing federal law and past practice.
• ⚠️ Lankford highlights that contractors, unlike federal employees, often do not receive back pay and are particularly vulnerable during shutdowns.
• 🎯 The President's suggestion to potentially withhold back pay from certain federal workers is seen as a tactic to maximize political pain.

Healthcare Subsidies and ACA Negotiations

• 🏥 Lankford clarifies that the current debate around Obamacare subsidies concerns COVID-era 'plus-ups', not the base subsidies, which Democrats are attempting to make permanent.
• 🧩 He notes that Democrats themselves included a sunset clause for these temporary subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act, set to expire at the end of 2025.
• 📈 Insurance rates are already being set with the assumption of these subsidies expiring, and Lankford argues that the Affordable Care Act's structure inherently drives up rates regardless of subsidies.
• 📊 He emphasizes the need for clarity on these subsidies, as insurance companies are finalizing rates for the upcoming year.

Border Security and Drug Interdiction

• 🚢 Regarding potential military action against cartel shipments, Lankford stresses the importance of knowing who is on the vessels before taking action.
• 🚨 He acknowledges the severe drug issue in the U.S., with over 100,000 overdose deaths, and the need to attack incoming drug supply alongside treatment efforts.
• 🌍 Securing the land border helps, but drugs are also entering through the Pacific and Atlantic, necessitating a multi-faceted approach.