Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Hello and welcome. This is The Michelle Hussein Show. I'm Michelle Hussein. I speak with people like Elon Musk. I think I've done enough. And Shonda Rhimes. That's so cute. This will be a place where every weekend you can count on one essential conversation to help make sense of the world.
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You certainly ask interesting questions.
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News. To expand the conversation, we're joined now by Congressman Jason Smith. He's a Republican representing Missouri's 8th 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 stopgap bill that they are voting on would only fund the government until November 21st. Is a November 21st stopgap 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 of 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 13 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, Mr. 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 nonstarter for you? And what does it tell us about where we stand on Capitol Hill?
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Chapter 2: What are the implications of a government shutdown?
Where do you fall on this idea of a longer-term government funding bill?
I strongly support a longer-term continued resolution. I would support that until December 1st. I think that that would allow more stability for our economy, stability for the American people. The fact that we had the whipā
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 continuing resolution are we talking december 1st weeks from now or or december 1st 2026 mr chairman
December 21st, 2026 is what I've been hearing up here as a suggestion, as an opportunity of a continuing resolution. 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, 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 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 60 vote 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 health care is essential for Americans. We need to make sure that we're talking about access for all Americans, not just 24 million Americans, but 347 million Americans.
Senate 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 House 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?
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Chapter 3: Is the proposed November 21st stopgap funding still viable?
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 400 percent of the federal poverty level, people who make $600,000 a year. I don't think Americans are good with that.
Well, I'll tell you 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 collars 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.
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Chapter 4: What are the challenges in passing a continuing resolution?
But what we need to do is have Republicans and Democrats come together and figure out what is best to creating more access to health care for all Americans, not just people on exchanges, but everyone. All Americans. There's 174 million Americans that are in 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 $3 billion 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 Xi Jinping. 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 U.S. soybean farmers alone has been atrocious. Typically, in the average year, China purchases somewhere between $12 to $15 billion worth of soybeans a year from the United States. They have not purchased $1 a year.
this year and so that better 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 am 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 30 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 earths to try to be punitive to the world. That is unstable. That's why there's so many concerns about trading with with the Chinese. Hopefully they'll be able to get to a common common ground in their meeting.
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