Northern Virginia’s trio of Democratic Congressmen—James Walkinshaw (11th District), Suhas Subramanyam (10th District), and Don Beyer (8th District)—have all declared they’re not signing onto the Republican-crafted plan to reopen the government unless it protects the health care lifeline millions of Americans depend on. Seems pretty simple, right? Unfortunately, the GOP apparently missed “do no harm” in civics class.

Here’s the short version: The Senate’s latest “deal” skips over necessary health care subsidies, especially those premium tax credits that stop insurance costs from burning a hole through the wallets of working families. It’s the political equivalent of putting a Band-Aid on a compound fracture and calling it a day.

Walkinshaw, the rookie in Congress who already sounds like he’s had enough nonsense for one lifetime, cut straight to the point. He called out the “crushing cost of health care” and how Republicans have been laser-focused on making things worse by refusing to collaborate on fixing the mess they started. Shocking, I know.

(Related: Federal Government Shutdown: Now the Longest Ever)

Sorry, but this isn’t just “politics as usual.” This is about whether or not people can afford to see a doctor, keep the lights on, or even have enough to eat. The Senate bill, as it stands, lets essential health care subsidies expire. That means more than 19,000 Fairfax County residents get to look forward to an annual premium hike north of $1,200—because why not throw gasoline on the fire of inflation, right?

Walkinshaw and crew are, predictably, pretty salty about this. And rightfully so. He points the finger at not just the policies, but the larger pattern of Republican mismanagement under Trump—cutting social programs, axing benefits for federal workers, and using the government as a blunt weapon against its own employees.

No, this is not hyperbole. During the record-breaking shutdown, the Trump Administration gleefully fired federal workers and tried to gut programs like SNAP and WIC, leaving the most vulnerable to fend for themselves. Republicans treat government like some expendable toy, collateral damage be damned.

Let’s wade through the legislative double-speak. The deal rolls out the usual half-baked provision: temporary spending stays at current levels, some military and agricultural bills get funded, and states get reimbursed for emergency food programs they bankrolled during the shutdown. But that’s where the buck stops.

The most glaring omission? No commitment to protect, much less extend, the enhanced premium tax credits for the Affordable Care Act marketplace. These credits, established during COVID-19, have been the only thing keeping insurance affordable for millions who earn too much for Medicaid but way too little for standard plans. It’s like handing people a lifeboat, then yanking it away mid-storm.

Even the so-called “guarantee” of a vote on extending subsidies is as solid as Congress’ approval rating. Zero substance, all smoke. As Representative Subramanyam pointed out, empty promises and vague schedule language are not solutions. Virginians don’t deserve to live on a roulette wheel, wondering which basic need is next on the chopping block.

(Related: Walkinshaw Visits Food Banks as SNAP Funding Cut Off)

Congressional dysfunction is nothing new, but in this season of The Walking Dead: Capitol Hill, the showrunners are getting truly reckless. The Republican-controlled House, led by Speaker Mike Johnson (a man whose only real skills seem to be obstruction and rhetorical tap dancing), is refusing to budge unless virtually every Democrat swallows the poison pill on health care.

Meanwhile, Senate drama queens—er, Senators—like Rand Paul get hung up on arcane provisions (this time, the hemp industry… sure, why not), while Democratic Senators Kaine and Warner split on whether to support the package. Kaine claimed he got a “guarantee” for a December vote on health subsidies, but Warner wasn’t buying the snake oil: “We owe the American people more than a short-term fix.”

The resistance isn’t just about policy; it’s about the message. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries put it plainly: “Donald Trump and the Republican Party own the toxic mess they have created.” If only accountability paid the utility bills, right?

For Northern Virginians, this isn’t just abstract beltway drama. It’s lunchboxes, paychecks, and doctor visits. With sky-high property values, ballooning food and fuel costs, and now the very real threat of health insurance premium spikes, every element of this shutdown has been a slap in the face.

Throw in Governor Glenn Youngkin dancing to Trump’s tune by halting state-backed emergency food programs, and it’s little wonder why voters sent a blue tidal wave through the last election. People are tired of paying for the privilege of being casualties in someone else’s ideological war.

Federal workers, contractors, low-income families: all standing on the front lines, taking the hits for political theater. And that’s what makes the adamant stance of Walkinshaw, Subramanyam, and Beyer so indispensable—even if “compromise” is only a dirty word to the MAGA set.

With the shutdown clock still running and zero evidence the House will suddenly grow a heart, the future’s looking… well, familiar (read: terrible). Don Beyer summed it up: “My goal is to end the shutdown in a way that protects Americans from skyrocketing health care costs, and this bill fails that test.”

Democrats are holding fast, refusing to greenlight a deal unless it does what government is actually supposed to do—serve its people. Republicans? They seem content to let chaos reign, just as long as they can blame someone else when the dust settles.

If there’s any hope, it’s in the voters’ recent pushback. Virginians demanded affordability and respect for workers, not more platitudes. Will Congress finally get the message? Don’t hold your breath, but keep calling, marching, and voting like your coverage depends on it—because it does.

This isn’t just another government shutdown headline. It’s a modern parable about who gets valued, who gets left behind, and whether “public service” still means anything in 21st-century America. Northern Virginia’s Congressional delegation isn’t backing down, and neither should anyone who cares about decent health care and an honest paycheck.

Next time you hear some pundit chirp about “bipartisanship,” just remember which side demanded your health and security as ransom—and which side actually bothered to fight. The vote may be in the Capitol, but its consequences are sitting right there at your kitchen table.