Blunt Rochester backs Democratic legislative push in face of Trump’s veto threat

While Democrats will have to contend with President Trump’s threats to veto legislation when they take control of Congress in January, Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) on Tuesday argued that reality should not be a deterrent to passing legislative priorities.

Speaking at The Hill’s Health Next Summit in Washington, Blunt Rochester touched on healthcare priorities Democrats are eyeing as they prepare to control both the House and Senate.

She alluded to reinstating the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits and reversing reductions in regulatory oversight that have occurred under the current administration.

NewsNation’s Washington Bureau Chief Mike Viqueira noted the reality that despite Democrats wresting back control over Congress in the midterms, Trump retains his veto power to halt any bills that may be passed.

“That shouldn’t stop us from putting forward what the American people said they wanted and what they voted for,” Blunt Rochester responded at the event, sponsored by AstraZeneca, the Healthcare Distribution Alliance and the Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health.

“I think you know there’s two tracks that we have to go down. One is to reverse those cuts. People haven’t even seen the impacts of the Medicaid cuts yet. They are coming,” she added, referring to the Medicaid rule changes scheduled to go into effect beginning on Jan. 1, such as new work requirements included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

“You’ve got the ACA tax credits, the Medicaid cuts, the impact that’s going to have on people with disabilities. The families have come to us and said this is a big concern for them, and then you’ve got to reverse and reimagine. The current system is not working for people,” Blunt Rochester said.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to heavily exercise his veto powers before and after it became clear that Democrats would retake Congress. But healthcare was a top concern in the midterms and he may bow to public pressure if Democrats manage to pass bipartisan healthcare legislation.

Polling from KFF showed that voters picked Democrats because they believed the party was better equipped at handling issues like healthcare access.

“In this moment, healthcare was on the ballot, and it is really one of the major issues that we’re going to have to tackle as we go into the 120th Congress,” Blunt Rochester, who sits on the Senate Health Committee, said.