By Rep. Kristi Mathieson
As the federal government grinds through a historic shutdown, the headlines – predictably – often focus on political maneuvering. But out of the political spotlight, the real story is unfolding in colder homes, emptier fridges and workplaces where people are showing up without pay. The pain can be quiet, cumulative and largely invisible to those in power who call basic assistance like heating help and food security measures “extreme.”
In Maine, the emergency heating assistance program administered by MaineHousing has been halted due to the shutdown. For families already stretched thin, this isn’t a policy inconvenience – it’s a direct threat to their ability to stay warm as temperatures drop. Meanwhile, SNAP benefits are hanging in the balance, leaving households unsure of how they’ll pay for groceries this month.
At the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, more than 7,700 civilian employees are trapped in a cruel paradox. Classified as “essential,” they’re required to report to work during the federal shutdown, yet receive no pay. Because they remain technically employed, they’re ineligible for unemployment benefits. They can’t seek other jobs. They’re working without compensation, expected to shoulder the burden of political gridlock. But for many, that burden is simply too heavy.
And, in the middle of this, Republicans in Washington are arguing that extending health care tax credits, one of the most effective tools for keeping people insured, is somehow “extreme.” Let’s be clear: there is nothing extreme about helping people afford health care.
These enhanced premium tax credits, expanded under the American Rescue Plan and extended by the Inflation Reduction Act, have made coverage accessible for millions of Americans. They’ve lowered monthly premiums, stabilized the health care marketplace and helped reduce the uninsured rate to historic lows. If they are allowed to expire at the end of the year, premiums will skyrocket, coverage will drop and the very people already reeling from the shutdown, those relying on SNAP, heating assistance or working without pay, will be hit again.
This isn’t a theoretical policy debate. It’s a question of whether we believe that basic stability, food, heat, health care, is a right or a reward.
Calling these tax credits “extreme” is a rhetorical sleight of hand. It distracts from the real stakes: whether we choose to support working families or let them fall through the cracks. What’s truly extreme is asking people to navigate a shutdown, rising costs and health care insecurity all at once while pretending the tools to help them are somehow too generous or not available when the truth is they are simply being redirected to help fund tax breaks for billionaires.
We must stop framing basic survival as a partisan debate. Programs like SNAP, heating assistance, unemployment benefits and affordable health care aren’t optional extras, they’re essential infrastructure that keep thousands of Mainers and millions of families across the country afloat. These supports not only protect lives, they strengthen our economy with a proven return on investment. When the system falters, especially during a shutdown, these lifelines should never be the first to go, nor should they be used as political leverage.
Maine people deserve leaders who are fighting to make sure they can afford to build healthy, happy lives. I remain committed to this, and to maintaining our strong Maine communities and way of life. Please feel free to contact me at Kristi.Mathieson@legislature.maine.gov or by phone at (603) 969-7496 with your questions and concerns, or if I can try to help connect you with other resources during this challenging time.
Mathieson is serving her third term in the Maine House representing Kittery and is House chair of the Legislature’s Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee.