What are the latest developments in the Senate regarding health care proposals?
Live from NPR News, I'm Janine Herbst. The Senate is expected to vote today on dueling health care proposals as enhanced subsidies for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans are set to expire soon. NPR's Sam Greenglass has more. Democrats won the promise of a vote to extend the subsidies in exchange for ending the recent shutdown. They're pitching a three-year extension.
Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar says millions of Americans will see their premium skyrocket if the subsidies expire. They have to start paying the new rate starting next week, Monday, December 15th. That's why we're doing this vote right now. The Republican bill explains Senator Bill Cassidy would not extend the subsidies. Who gets the money? Insurance companies.
Instead, the government would put up to $1,500 in health savings accounts for high-deductible ACA plans. Under our program, the patient and their families get it. Neither bill is expected to pass. Sam Greenglass, NPR News, Washington. President Trump says the U.S. seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela yesterday amid ongoing tensions with the South American country.
Attorney General Pam Bonney says the Coast Guard, the FBI, and Homeland Security executed a seizure warrant for the tanker they say is used to transport oil to Iran in defiance of sanctions. Democratic Congresswoman Chrissy Houlihan says lawmakers were not briefed on the action. Congress is supposed to have a say in when we use military force.
And this Congress has not had any say in when we're using military force, and it hasn't had any briefings on why we are using military force. This comes on top of the biggest military buildup in the Caribbean in decades. Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves, with about one million barrels produced a day.
The former president of Bolivia has been arrested a month after voters rejected his leftist party in presidential elections. The new conservative government in the South American country swept to victory last month on promises to clean up corruption and end 20 years of socialist rule. And Pierce Carey Kahn reports.
Former President Luis Arce was arrested on embezzlement charges according to the current vice president. Edmund Lara, a former police officer who became famous posting anti-corruption content on TikTok, congratulated police for the arrest on social media. He did not elaborate on the charges, but did say more corruption arrests will be coming at, quote, the highest levels.
Arce had been president of Bolivia since 2020. The corruption allegations stem from his time as economy minister during the presidency of leftist leader Evo Morales. the country's first indigenous president. Their supporters are calling the arrest political persecution and deny the former president did anything illegal. Carrie Conn, NPR News. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.
NFL quarterback Phillip Rivers is coming out of retirement. The 44-year-old joined the league in 2004 to play for the then San Diego Chargers. But NPR's Becky Sullivan reports that he played his last season five years ago with the Indianapolis Colts.
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