The Republicans caved. [View all]
The window to sign up for insurance ends on December 15, with the rates and coverage locked in beginning Jan. 1. The Rs had made it clear they were NEVER going to even talk to the Ds about the ACA, let alone debate it. They (the Rs) were going to let the ACA extension possibility just "wither on the vine" without one effing concern about all the other suffering and chaos they were causing. That's how much they hate ACA. With time running out, what the Ds did was to AT LEAST get the Rs to agree to hold a vote on the matter next month. You can't say ACA doesn't matter to them, because otherwise it would have been a matter of just watching the sand run through the hour glass. The vote will solidify that the loss of coverage for millions (so regrettable) is all on the Rs. In addition to that upcoming vote, the Ds got re-instatement and increase of SNAP benefits, reimbursement to states of what they've paid out for SNAP this month, re-hiring of all federal employees plus back pay, funding of agencies, etc. So, in reality, the Rs caved to the Ds demands, because the Rs were offering NOTHING!