Welch urges President Trump to come to the table with Democrats to extend premium credits  

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, announced he will bring Alyssa Black as his guest to the 2026 State of the Union address. Alyssa is one of more than 30,000 Vermonters who lost access to enhanced Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credits after Congressional Republicans and the Trump Administration refused to work with Congressional Democrats to extend them. Millions of people across the country now face double, or even triple, premium costs—or are forced to go without coverage altogether.  

Alyssa Black is from Essex, Vermont. She is a small business owner and a member of the Vermont State House of Representatives. Representative Black chairs the House Committee on Health Care. 

“President Trump’s refusal to work with Democrats to extend ACA credits and protect access to health coverage is really shocking, and it’s important to show how this is hurting hardworking people in Vermont and across the country. Extending these tax credits isn’t a nice-to-do, it’s a must-do,” said U.S. Senator Peter Welch. “President Trump will claim he’s lowering costs, but the facts are clear: millions of Americans are being forced to pay more for their health coverage, and he’s done little to lower the cost of prescription drugs in a sustainable, durable way. His promises will require action from Congress—and that means he needs to work with Democrats, not against them. 

“I’m thankful to be joined by Vermont Representative Alyssa Black at the State of the Union. Not only is she personally impacted, but she’s also fighting in the state to protect access to care in Vermont. As a small business owner and the Chair of the Vermont House Health Care Committee, she knows all too well how the chaos on Pennsylvania Avenue is hurting Main Streets in Vermont,” Welch concluded. 

“Thousands of Vermonters have been hurt by the affordability crisis, which this administration is exacerbating—especially with their refusal to protect access to health care coverage and lower health care costs. I was personally threatened by the extreme spikes in health care premiums after the ACA tax credits expired, as were thousands of hardworking families across Vermont. It’s important Washington hears it in a direct and clear way: we can’t afford more inaction and broken promises on health care,” said Alyssa Black, small business owner and member of the Vermont State House of Representatives. 

The Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025, and now millions of Americans are forced to pay higher premiums for their health coverage in the new year. Many saw their premiums double, or even triple. More than 30,000 Vermonters access health coverage through the ACA marketplace and utilize these critical health care tax credits. Nationally, more than 24 million Americans are now forced to pay higher premiums, including 1 in 4 people with chronic conditions, 3.3 million small businesses, and 1.6 million children. 

Congressional Democrats have repeatedly urged their Republican colleagues to work with them to extend the tax credits and protect access to care for millions. Senator Welch helped unveil Senate Democrats’ plan to extend the tax credits for three years, but Republicans opposed the bill. Senator Welch was part of a bipartisan working group fighting to extend the credits, and spoke with President Trump and Secretary Kennedy in the Oval Office about the urgent need to extend the credits. So far, the president and Congressional Republicans have refused to act.  

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Media Note: Senator Welch is available for interviews before the State of the Union address. Please contact Aaron_White@welch.senate.gov or call/text 202-960-0677.