QuickTake:

As the U.S. entered a federal shutdown Wednesday, Oregon’s Democratic members of Congress criticized the actions that led to a shutdown. They warned that increased health care costs are ahead for Oregonians without a bipartisan solution.

As the federal shutdown entered its first full day, Oregon’s Democratic members of Congress say much is at stake for residents, especially the costs of health care for Oregonians.

The federal government shut down Wednesday, Oct. 1 — except for some limited, essential services — after federal lawmakers were unable to agree on a budget or pass a continuing resolution. The House passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through Nov. 21, but it stalled in the Senate, where the 60-vote threshold needed for passage falls short of the Republican majority’s 53 seats.

Democratic lawmakers said they want the next budget to extend expiring subsidies for federal Affordable Care Act premiums that provide health care coverage.  

In a press call with reporters Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle, a Democratic lawmaker whose district includes Lane County, said the shutdown and lack of negotiations will hurt families struggling to make ends meet.

“Instead of negotiating, Republicans chose to shut everything down so that they can push their agenda that makes health care more expensive and things harder for working families,” Hoyle said. 

Republicans hold a majority in the House and Senate and, of course, the White House with President Donald Trump. 

“We’re ready to negotiate a bipartisan solution to reopen the government to protect people’s health care,” Hoyle said. 

She also said Republicans are distorting the truth by suggesting the tax credits go to immigrants without proper documentation. Under federal law, undocumented immigrants cannot access tax credits through the Affordable Care Act.

“Federal law currently prohibits undocumented immigrants from getting comprehensive Medicaid coverage,” Hoyle said. “No one is proposing changing that law.”

In the Senate, Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon said the Trump administration’s cuts continue to strain the health care system, leading to higher premiums, fewer emergency room beds and shuttered rural hospitals. 

“After eight months in office, Trump is making America poorer and sicker,” Merkley said. “We are saying ‘hell no.’ Health care is fundamental to the quality of life of Americans. Democrats are standing up for you and your family’s health care.”

As the shutdown entered its first day, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee had a hearing on cryptocurrency taxation. The committee’s ranking member, Democratic U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon’s senior senator, said the cryptocurrency issue is important, but comes amid a difficult time for the country.

“Americans are wondering this morning how they’re going to afford groceries, pay rent and even cover the transportation costs they face today,” said Wyden, the committee’s ranking member. “The Republican response to them — silence. With so many people being hurt by the shutdown and desperately worried about the hardships to come, I think it is so unfortunate that the Republicans are making their warped priorities clear.”

Local impacts of shutdown 

Not every part of the federal government is shutting down. 

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Agriculture said national forests will remain open to visitors.

“Currently, the National Forests and Grasslands will remain open to visitors and wildland firefighting and disaster response will continue,” the agency said in a statement to Lookout Eugene-Springfield. “This may change due to (the) length of the shutdown.”

The statement did not elaborate.

At national parks, like Crater Lake National Park, visitors can still access certain areas, according to the National Park Service. 

“Park roads, lookouts, trails and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors,” a federal planning memo said.

Local agencies that rely on federal funding to run programs also have to plan ahead, even if they don’t have federal employees.

Head Start of Lane County, for example, is federally funded but can access state funding if necessary to continue providing programs for children and families.

Lane County officials have said the Medicaid-funded community clinics the county runs can continue to operate during the shutdown. Officials withdrew necessary federal funding in advance to maintain cash flow to function.

Ben Botkin covers politics and policy in Lane County. He has worked as a journalist since 2003, most recently at the Oregon Capital Chronicle, where he covered justice, health and human services and documented regional efforts to combat fentanyl addiction. Botkin has worked in statehouses in Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma and, of course, Oregon. When he's not working, you'll find him road tripping across the West, hiking or surfing along the Oregon Coast.