In a blow to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republican leaders, four GOP lawmakers have joined Democrats to force a vote on a bill that would extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies for three years. This allows Democrats to bring the bill directly to the House floor, bypassing Republican leadership.
Why the vote is being forced
The bill focuses on extending premium tax credits that help millions of Americans afford health insurance under Obamacare. These credits are set to expire at the end of the year, which could sharply raise monthly insurance costs for many people. Republican leaders recently advanced a healthcare package that did not include any extension of these subsidies, despite concerns about rising premiums.
Democrats reach the required numbers
Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, needed 218 signatures on a discharge petition to force a vote. They reached that number on Wednesday morning with support from four Republicans.
The Republicans who signed the petition are, Brian Fitzpatrick (Pennsylvania), Robert Bresnahan (Pennsylvania), Ryan Mackenzie (Pennsylvania), and Mike Lawler (New York)
Under House rules, the vote could happen as early as January. Speaker Mike Johnson, President Donald Trump, and many Republicans oppose extending the subsidies. Conservative Republicans argue the credits support what they see as a failing Obamacare marketplace.
However, some moderate Republicans were uneasy about letting the subsidies expire without any alternative, especially with elections approaching.
Johnson had explored allowing vulnerable GOP lawmakers to vote on a temporary extension that would include limits such as income caps. But after days of talks, party leadership sided with conservatives and dropped the idea.
Failed attempts to add a compromise
Republicans pushed ahead with a large healthcare bill that focused on expanding insurance options for small businesses and self-employed workers, but left out the subsidies.
Fitzpatrick and Lawler tried to add a temporary subsidy extension to that bill. Their efforts were blocked.
“Our only request was a floor vote on this compromise, so that the American People’s voice could be heard on this issue. That request was rejected. Then, at the request of House leadership I, along with my colleagues, filed multiple amendments, and testified at length to those amendments,” Fitzpatrick said. “House leadership then decided to reject every single one of these amendments.”
Why Republicans joined the petition
Fitzpatrick said GOP leaders left them with no choice. “Unfortunately, it is House leadership themselves that have forced this outcome,” he said. He also warned against allowing the subsidies to expire entirely.
“As I’ve stated many times before, the only policy that is worse than a clean three-year extension without any reforms, is a policy of complete expiration without any bridge,” Fitzpatrick said.
With enough signatures secured, the House is now expected to vote on extending Obamacare subsidies, setting up a major test for Republican unity and healthcare policy heading into next year.