Representative Judy Chu, Democrat of California, isn’t mincing words. Touring the Wesley Health Center in Pasadena this week, she praised the staff for the breadth of services they provide—dental, psychiatry, chiropractic, general care—at prices that make treatment possible for people who are often shut out of the health system. Then she pivoted to the crisis she says threatens clinics like this one across the country: massive Republican-led cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.

Health Centers Are The Only Access to Care for Some Americans

Chu explained, “Community health centers are the backbone of our health care system. Every day they provide affordable, high-quality care close to home. And they do it regardless of a patient’s income, immigration status, or insurance coverage. For millions of Americans, health centers like this are their only access to care.”

Chu Blames the “Big Ugly Bill”

That access, she warned, is on the verge of collapse. In June, Republicans pushed through what Chu calls “the big ugly bill,” a package of cuts that slashes $1.5 trillion from the nation’s healthcare safety net. At the heart of the reductions are deep cuts to Medicaid and the elimination of Affordable Care Act premium tax credits—changes that Chu said will push 15 million Americans off their insurance.

Everything May Get Worse If The Government Shuts Down

The timing, she added, could not be worse. “We are now just days away from a government shutdown because Republicans refuse to extend these tax credits,” she said. “They are ready to shut down our government if it means taking affordable health care away from working families.” The numbers are stark. In Chu’s own district, 61,000 people rely on ACA tax credits to keep their insurance. If those credits disappear, she said, premiums will skyrocket. A 60-year-old couple in her district making $80,000 could see their premiums increase by 283 percent—nearly a quarter of their annual income eaten up by health insurance alone.

Millions of People Could Face Higher Premiums in California

For California as a whole, more than 2.5 million people would face higher premiums, and 140,000 could lose their coverage altogether. Nationwide, the figure is 24 million Americans suddenly thrust into financial uncertainty. Chu framed the issue not just as a matter of dollars and cents, but of values. “They ripped $1.5 trillion out of our health care system so they could give massive tax cuts to billionaires and big corporations. That is immoral,” she said. “When millions lose health coverage, outcomes worsen, people delay care, and health centers are forced to treat patients with far fewer resources.”

Chu Promises to Fight For Her Constituents

Chu draws a direct line between the current fight and the record enrollments under the ACA, which reached 24 million this year—nearly double the number from Trump’s first term. “We have the highest number of insured people in our nation’s history right now. And Republicans want to undo that,” she said. As negotiations stall and Republicans leave Washington without a deal, Chu insisted Democrats will return to fight. “We are standing with patients, providers, and working families against this assault on our healthcare system,” she said. “We cannot let these tax credits expire. We cannot let millions suffer higher health costs because of failed leadership.”