Indian-origin Congressman Ro Khanna believes that fellow Democratic Party member, Senator Chuck Schumer, is “no longer effective and should be replaced.” Taking to his official X account on Sunday (US time), he added, “If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”
Khanna’s scathing remarks targeting the Senate Minority leader shocked netizens on social media as the US government shutdown continues to shroud the future of the Affordable Care Act in uncertainty. His recent social media activity surfaced online just before the Senate’s vote on Sunday (US time). It was fuelled by the division between Democrats who stood divided on the newly proposed bill seeking to end the historic government shutdown.
Ultimately, eight Democrats ended up supporting the House-passed stopgap measure despite it excluding any considerations about the extension of ACA benefits they have long fought for.
Democrats fight against government shutdown impacting Affordable Care Act
Subsidies under the landmark US federal statute, informally known as Obamacare, are set to expire at the end of the year. However, Democrats have been prioritising to extend them amid the ongoing funding battle.
Ultimately a compromise bill was brought up in the US Senate on Sunday. Almost all Republicans voted in favour of it, with only eight Democrats joining in. The remaining majority on the far-left chose to reject it, as the bill missed out any mentions of healthcare subsidies. The since-struck deal has at least landed a chance of a future vote addressing the potential extension of the ACA benefits.
Chuck Schumer is not built for this moment. https://t.co/BEjuV6pTBG
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) November 10, 2025
Counter-responding to the Democrats, Senate’s Republican leader John Thune reiterated that while he was open to negotiations tied to the Affordable Care Act, they would be revisited only once the government was opened again. However, that doesn’t automatically guarantee any benefit extension despite a December vote being agreed upon in connection with ACA.
Although Schumer has played a major role in keeping the Democratic caucus unified for the past 40 day, many from his own party split paths, speaking out against a potentially long-delayed deal that had only mounted up sufferings for Americans during a shutdown.
Schumer himself voted “no,” while his No 2 Democrat, Senator Richard J Durbin, stood by the deal. “This bill is not perfect, but it takes important steps to reduce their shutdown’s hurt,” he shared his reasons in a statement.
With many Democrats condemning the deal, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said his caucus “will not support spending legislation advanced by Senate Republicans that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credit.” He further asserted, “We will fight the GOP bill in the House of Representatives.”
Despite the Senate signing off on the deal, the shutdown isn’t necessarily over. If the House of Representatives approve it, the bill will be sent ahead for Trump’s signature, thereby the whole process requiring a few days at least.
Schumer on ACA credits
With Schumer himself telling reporters that he would not vote for a bill that missed out on health care provision, the divisions among Democrats were laid bare. The Minority leader argued his reasons for dismissing it: “This healthcare crisis is so severe, so urgent, so devastating for families back home, that I cannot in good faith support this [resolution] that fails to address the healthcare crisis.”
Ahead of the progress made on Sunday, Chuck Schumer presented his proposal for a one-year extension of the ACA subsidies on Friday. Offering his “clean” plan, he said, “We would like to offer a simple proposal that would reopen the government and extend the ACA premium tax credits simultaneously.”
Ro Khanna Vs Schumer
American political reporter Ben Jacobs hit out against Khanna’s tweet against Schumer, saying, “A back bench House member calling for the ouster of the Senate floor leader feels very early mid 2010s GOP.”
It soon elicited another response from the Indian-origin US politician: “Maybe it’s time for those in the back to make it to the front and for the old guard to make way?”
Another user called out: “Only voting for Democrats who support Medicare for All in 2026, 2028, and beyond.”
And Khanna was quick to reply again with what he called the “new economic patriotism,” detailing that Medicare for All was not the only long game that needed to be played.
As a result, he went to expand the list: “Medicare for All. No PAC money. Childcare $10 a day. Double housing. Anti-corruption agenda. 1,000 trade schools. Modern factory & care jobs. No bombs to Israel.”
