Hawley Scolds GOP Leadership, Urges Bipartisan Action on Health Costs and Wages

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) delivered a sharp rebuke of fellow Republicans Wednesday, arguing that congressional GOP lawmakers have failed to meaningfully advance the agenda President Donald Trump campaigned on and must do more to address Americans' economic concerns.

"Congress really has to act," Hawley told Semafor's Burgess Everett at the Architects of the New Economy event. "I think you've seen a Congress that has not been as enthusiastic about his agenda as I would like."

Hawley singled out rising health insurance premiums as a pressing issue and did not rule out voting with Democrats to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies ahead of a pivotal vote scheduled for Thursday. "I think we need to do something on premium costs," he said, emphasizing urgency for a practical response.

He criticized Republican leaders for showing "zero appetite" at the leadership level to pursue bipartisan health-care deals, and recounted a recent Senate Republican breakfast with Trump where the president warned senators they would get "killed" in the midterms if they failed to act on health-care costs.

The Missouri senator proposed that Republicans consider working across the aisle on several economic priorities: raising the minimum wage, strengthening labor protections, and capping prescription drug prices. He said those areas present realistic opportunities for compromise and tangible benefits for working families.

At one point, Hawley praised progressive Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and commended Warren's book addressing the financial pressures facing the middle class. He said he wants to "blow up" the usual partisan paradigm in Washington and seek deals that produce results rather than ideological purity.

What This Means: Hawley's comments signal growing impatience within the GOP over perceived legislative inaction and underscore pressure on Senate Republicans ahead of a consequential vote on health-care subsidies. His willingness to contemplate bipartisan votes on high-profile economic issues highlights a potential shift toward pragmatic problem-solving—if party leaders embrace the idea.