Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi joined two Bay Area lawmakers in San Francisco on Thursday to explain why Democrats are standing firm during the ongoing federal government shutdown.

The legislators detailed the key demands they say Republicans must meet before Democrats will agree to continue funding the government. The first priority is reversing recent cuts to Medicaid funding signed into law on July 4. The second is extending tax credits for individuals purchasing health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

The extension of these tax credits would also restrict the president’s ability to reclaim funds that Congress has already allocated. At Thursday’s event, Pelosi and her colleagues emphasized the importance of protecting the insurance premium tax credits.

Marin Congressman Jared Huffman shared concerns from constituents in his district, noting, “What that means for him and 37,000 other people in my district, and millions more across the country, is that their premiums could double or triple.” Pelosi stressed that Democrats are committed to holding their ground until their demands are met, insisting the issue is too important to compromise on.

She drew parallels to March of this year, when Democrats faced a potential shutdown and Senate leaders acted to maintain funding due to fears President Trump might fire federal employees—a threat that continues in the current shutdown. “The fact is, they’re firing these people with or without a shutdown,” Pelosi said. “Our members know that. They’re firing them and now using the shutdown as an excuse.”

Meanwhile, Republicans maintain that they are willing to negotiate but insist Democrats must first approve funding to reopen the government. The last federal shutdown occurred in 2018 and lasted 35 days during Trump’s first term.