WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) joined MSNBC’s Ali Vitali to discuss the latest on the ongoing Republican-led government shutdown, the Republican leadership crisis, and the urgent need to prevent health care premiums from doubling for millions of Americans. Watch the full interview here and read excerpts from the conversation below: On protecting SNAP and ensuring every federal workers is paid, not just the ones Republicans pick and choose: Vitali: “There has been some idea from a Republican Senator to put forward a bill that would effectively make it that SNAP wouldn’t lapse, which has never happened during a government shutdown before. Would you get on board with

WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and 39 Democratic colleagues introduced the Military and Federal Employee Protection Act, which would provide a one-time appropriation to pay servicemembers, federal employees, and contractors who have missed any compensation from October 1 to the date the bill is enacted as a result of the government shutdown. The bill ensures that both furloughed employees, as well as employees who have been excepted from furlough status and are continuing to work, are guaranteed to receive their standard pay. The bill would also require that all employees receive any delayed compensation within one week of enactment, to ensure they are paid in

WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) penned an open letter to Arizona health insurance companies urging them to immediately notify consumers about the potential for significant premium increases if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits are allowed to expire at the end of this year. “Insurance companies, which provide health coverage to over 24 million people on the ACA marketplace, have a responsibility to send out timely notices informing beneficiaries of changes to their premiums,” wrote Senator Gallego. “Historically, these notices have been distributed beginning in early October, providing consumers with essential information about their coverage for the coming year. However, this year, there has