President Trump used a White House Hanukkah reception to condemn recent attacks and express sympathy for victims. Speaking about incidents at Brown University and a separate assault in Australia, he described the latter as a “purely antisemitic attack,” offered the families “his deepest regards and respects from the United States of America,” and wished a speedy recovery to the nine people injured at Brown. The remarks came as thousands gathered near the White House for the lighting of the national menorah amid growing reports of antisemitic violence around the world.
Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, lawmakers are racing against a looming health-care deadline. If Congress does not act, millions of people stand to lose Affordable Care Act premium subsidies on January 1 and could face large premium increases. The House scheduled a Republican vote on a proposal to let small businesses band together to buy employee health coverage, but that measure does not extend ACA subsidies and drew criticism from Democrats as inadequate to address the looming loss of assistance.
In the Senate, competing proposals failed to advance in recent days. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said a bipartisan compromise remains possible and urged colleagues to pursue a deal. Consumers enrolled in ACA plans must select coverage by the enrollment deadline, and with no clear path to extend subsidies, many are expected to see higher premiums when the new year begins.