1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

I urge you to make three non-negotiable demands as you negotiate the budget. First, protect the health and financial stability of millions of Americans by extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies. If these expire, families across the country will face devastating premium hikes, higher copays, and impossible deductibles. Healthcare should not be a political bargaining chip — it is a lifeline for hard-working Americans who play by the rules. Second, restore the funds Congress took from Medicaid and Medicare. Healthcare must include support for the most vulnerable among us. Third, Congress must address President Trump’s ongoing violation of the Constitution. For every day of his second term, he has impounded funds that Congress lawfully appropriated — refusing to spend money as required under Article II’s command to “faithfully execute the laws.” This is not politics; it is a breach of constitutional duty that alone warrants impeachment. Passing any budget without confronting this lawlessness only rewards defiance of the Framers’ design. We cannot allow the media’s “blame game” to obscure the real stakes. This shutdown is not simply about political points — it is about whether families will get healthcare, whether Congress will defend its constitutional role, and whether federal workers can keep food on their tables. These are bread-and-butter issues for millions of Americans who don’t care about spin, only results. Finally, the president’s decision to post a racist AI-generated deepfake video mocking Schumer and Jeffries is beneath the dignity of the office. It was not just an attack on two lawmakers; it was an insult to the American people, especially Latino and Black Americans. Our leaders must not tolerate this toxic distraction from the urgent work of governing. Congress has a simple choice: side with American families and the Constitution, or side with secrecy, corruption, and billionaire donors. A budget that ignores healthcare, truth, and constitutional duty fails the nation. No budget should pass without these commitments.