The Scoop
It’s rare to see President Donald Trump’s White House invite a Democrat to come over, and Sen. Peter Welch used his time to go off-topic.
Welch told Semafor that, while Trump’s signing of a bill allowing whole milk in schools is “really important for Vermont dairy,” he went into the meeting planning to press the president directly on extending the expired enhanced premium tax credits for the Affordable Care Act. Those subsidies expired last month, and lawmakers in both parties are trying to get Trump’s support for reviving them.
Welch urged both Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “to back an extension of the ACA premium tax credits,” a spokesperson said. “Senator Welch has worked closely with a bipartisan group of Senators on a deal to extend the credits.”
Led by Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, on the Republican side, the tentative deal for a two-year extension of the subsidies, with income caps and an end to zero-dollar premium plans, is on pause for now as Trump seeks to introduce some of his own health care ideas.
“I’m still totally committed to making every effort to extend these tax credits,” Welch told Semafor. “We’ve got the framework of a doable deal, but nothing will happen unless the president gives it his OK.”
Welch also met with Trump and former Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., during his first term to discuss prescription drug prices. But it’s rare for any Democrats at all to get face time with the president these days, and Welch says he intends “to take advantage of it.”
Notable
- Welch has made the occasional foray into bipartisanship lately, as Semafor reported.