Rep. Craig Leads Push for Republican Leadership to Reopen Government, Lower Health Care Costs for Farmers and Rural Americans 

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture Angie Craig led 53 of her colleagues in calling on Congressional Republican leadership to work with Democrats to pass a funding bill that will reopen the government and extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits that millions of farmers and rural Americans rely on for affordable health care. 

In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Rep. Craig and her colleagues highlighted the damage President Trump and Congressional Republicans have already inflicted on rural Americans by failing to extend the ACA enhanced premium tax credits set to expire at the end of the year and enacting the deepest cuts to Medicaid in American history through their One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 

“We write today on behalf of millions of farmers and rural Americans who are facing increased health costs and decreased access to critical health care services if Congressional Republicans do not work with Democrats to reach a bipartisan deal to open the government and remedy the health care crisis that is already roiling rural America,” Rep. Craig wrote. “Your inaction on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits, combined with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s draconian cuts to Medicaid, are a betrayal of all Americans. But the burden of these cuts falls heavily on those who live in rural communities and those who work tirelessly to feed and fuel our nation.”

The Members went on to blast Republicans’ insufficient efforts to mitigate the damage they did to rural health care providers through their One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 

“Further, the Rural Health Transformation Program that Republicans are touting as a new investment does not come close to correcting the damage that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is already doing to rural America’s health infrastructure,” Rep. Craig continued. “This temporary infusion of funds fails to make whole rural hospitals and health care providers that stand to lose a total of $137 billion between the expiration of the ACA enhanced tax credits and cuts to Medicaid. As a result, rural hospitals across the country are closing their doors – forcing those in rural areas to travel further for care or forgo treatment altogether.”

As farmers and rural Americans grapple with the impacts of the President’s trade policies, which have decimated American export markets while increasing the cost of living, Rep. Craig and her colleagues expressed that they are committed to working across the aisle to support our nation’s rural communities. 

“We stand ready to work with you to uplift our nation’s farmers, invest in rural America and avoid a health care cliff that will endanger the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans who are depending on us to do better by them,” Rep. Craig concluded.

If Republicans fail to extend the ACA enhanced tax credits, Minnesotans who get their health insurance through MNSure will see their health insurance premiums increase by an average of 21.5%, according to the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Middle class Minnesotans will be hit the hardest by these price hikes – especially farmers, small business owners and early retirees.

You can read the full text of the letter here.

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