WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) joined Bloomberg's Balance of Power to discuss Republicans' continued refusal to reverse massive health premium hikes. Below are excerpts from the conversation:

On Democrats' Discharge Petition Extending ACA Tax Credits: 

"We are at 214, which means we only need four Republicans, and there are far more than four who are saying we should extend these tax credits. So we are saying to them: 'Now is the time to do it.'

"We have three days left of session before we recess for the holidays and just days before this tax credit expires. We don't know where they've been. They voted for the bill back in July that ended these tax credits and let them expire. And at the same time, they are making tax cuts for the very wealthiest Americans permanent and not requiring that there be any offset in the budget for the trillions of dollars that that is going to cost.

"So now is the time, because we are hearing it across Massachusetts and across the country. People are hurting. They are not able to afford this dramatic doubling, tripling, even quadrupling of insurance premiums. This is a health care crisis the GOP has caused.

"We have the vehicle for them to fix it today."

On the Impact of GOP Premium Hikes:

"In Massachusetts, we know that 10,000 people have opted out of the ACA because they can't afford to stay on that insurance.

"These are small businesses. These are people who need to be able to take a child to a doctor, to ensure their spouse can continue their cancer treatments, to manage their diabetes. I cannot stress [enough] how anxious and worried people are — and this is layered on top of watching the cost of living continuing to rise.

"The Republicans are doing nothing to address this. In fact, the policies that they have greenlighted, like Donald Trump's tariff policies, the cuts to Medicaid, these cuts to the ACA tax credit, to veterans' health benefits, to food programs, all of this is putting even more economic pressure on American families.

"In this holiday season, come together. Do the right thing by the American people and help them keep and afford health insurance."

On a Potential Health Care Solution before December 31:

"I'm going to remain hopeful.

"We're very much watching the process that is going on, as we speak, in committee, where Republicans are putting forth their amendments on how to extend these tax credits. I hope that, if that is not successful for them — and certainly the indications from Republican leadership is it won't be — we'll see then the next logical choice for them is for four of them to come and join us so we can force a vote and do right by the American people who are counting on us."

On Chaos at the White House:

"What we are seeing and hearing from his own chief of staff, in an article that dropped today, is that the White House continues to be chaotic. It continues to be unlawful. The president continues to just respond to world events in a vile and disgusting way — as he did with the horrible murders we saw in L.A.

"And he's unhinged.

"So I certainly hope that somebody has gotten to him and said: 'The American people need you to keep your promise to lower costs and to make sure they have health care.' But we've seen no sign of that in nearly a year of this administration.

"And he has done everything in his power to make things harder and more expensive for American families."

On the Classified Briefing on U.S. Boat Strikes in the Caribbean:

"This briefing was both long overdue and highly disappointing.

"What we are asking from this administration is that they remember that Congress needs to be informed. They should be sharing their intelligence with us. Congress is the one that can declare war.

"This president needs to open up that line of communication and be honest and transparent. And the way to do that is to start by releasing the video of this second strike on the boat in the Caribbean that has been so controversial.

"The president said he would do it. And we saw Secretary Hegseth walk that back today. We thought we might be able to see that video in this classified briefing. And we were disappointed, to say the least, that they are not fulfilling that.

"This is about keeping our troops and the American people safe. And they cannot take Congress out of the equation."

On Congressional Action Addressing Trump’s Military Strikes: 

"We are actually going to be voting on two War Powers Acts. Jim McGovern, which is directing the president not to proceed without Congress in Venezuela. And Gregory Meeks, who is going to be addressing in his War Powers Resolution the strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific.

"So we will be taking up a vote, and we will have a strong yes vote from all of the Democrats."

To view the complete conversation, click HERE.