Rep. Chellie Pingree is the U.S. congresswoman for Maine’s 1st District.

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history recently came to an end. There’s no need to rehash the fight — between the House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans, White House and Congress — but it’s important to make clear why we fought, and why the worst, unfortunately, is yet to come.

First and foremost: affordable health care. On Jan. 1, millions of Americans will be priced out of their health care coverage as premiums skyrocket, some by as much as 300 or 400%. Those notices are going out right now.

The potential fallout of allowing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits to expire is almost impossible to fathom. Families will be forced to choose between putting food on the table and paying for their health care. Many will forgo coverage altogether. Seniors on fixed incomes, families just scraping by and people with chronic conditions will be hit hardest.

And that’s before we get to the broader economic impacts. The more people spend on health care, the less they spend on everyday essentials: groceries, housing, transportation and so on. As consumer spending tightens, local businesses will suffer, slowing economic growth and putting jobs at serious risk.

The escalating health care crisis isn’t the only disaster that President Trump and Republicans have created.

Of all the undue hardships people experienced during the shutdown, the most cruel and
preventable was the administration’s staunch refusal to fund November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits — despite having the authority and means to do so.

Even after several court rulings ordering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to tap contingency funding Congress set aside for emergencies, the administration made the deliberate choice to withhold benefits.

Their weaponization of hunger is unforgivable.

The Republican assault on SNAP is nothing new, of course. Just because the government is back open doesn’t mean the program is safe. As part of the Big Ugly Bill, they slashed this vital program by $186 billion — the largest cut to SNAP in American history. All to fund massive tax breaks for billionaires.

Nearly 42 million Americans depend on SNAP, including more than 170,000 Mainers. Low-income families, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities: All of them now face a heightened risk of food insecurity because of this administration’s sweeping cuts.

That puts enormous pressure on our local food banks, which are already struggling to keep up with demand. And while I’ve seen firsthand the amazing work these facilities do, the fact is, SNAP supplies roughly nine meals for every one provided by a food bank.

That’s how impactful this program is — and how badly our food banks will be strained if these cuts remain in effect.

Trump’s Big Ugly Bill also imposes restrictive policies on the food aid program, like new work requirements and shifting costs onto states, in the name of unsubstantiated fraud. And just recently, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said everyone who receives SNAP benefits will have to reapply, despite the program already having strict renewal requirements and almost no fraud to speak of. Forcing millions of Americans who rely on food assistance to reapply for benefits is a calculated effort to shrink the program they’ve had their sights set on for years.

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which 45,000 Mainers rely on to stay safe and warm during our long winters, was also a concern during the shutdown. But, thanks to Trump, it was already in jeopardy.

Back in April, the Department of Health and Human Services eliminated the entire staff
overseeing LIHEAP, raising serious concerns about disruptions in allocations — especially here in Maine, where applications for heating assistance have surged in recent years.

In states like Maine, programs like LIHEAP are essential to helping low-income households cover their heating costs, prevent shutoffs and weatherize their homes.

For seniors on fixed incomes, veterans and families already stretched thin by rising prices,
LIHEAP isn’t a luxury. Like SNAP, it’s a literal lifeline. Without it, the most vulnerable people will be pushed even closer to the brink.

And that’s before we get to the president’s chaotic and counterproductive tariffs, which are driving up costs for so many things — from groceries to building materials to household appliances — and putting additional strain on families already struggling to make ends meet.

Between the atrocious so-called “big, beautiful bill,” the administration’s reckless funding cuts and trade policies and their incredibly callous shutdown strategy, Republicans have made it clear that they’re willing to sacrifice the health and well-being of the American people (and our country’s economic future) — so long as the wealthy and powerful don’t have to pay more in taxes.

For communities in Maine and across the country, these aren’t abstract policy debates. They’re real, tangible hardships that affect every aspect of daily life.

House Democrats are continuing to fight back.

The same day the House voted on the short-term funding bill to reopen the government, we were already circulating a discharge petition to force a vote on extending the ACA tax credits for three years. If Republicans fail to act, the domino effect will be catastrophic — for our economy, and for hundreds of thousands of Mainers who are already struggling to get by.

It’s time for Republicans to start working with us to address the very real crises we now face.