Four moderate Republicans in the House have broken with leadership and have signed onto a Democrat-drafted discharged position that would force a vote on extended enhanced ACA subsidies for another three years.
The decision from Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.), and Ryan Mackenzie (R-Pa.) give Democrats the 218 votes needed for the vote to occur.
Fitzpatrick told NBC News he has tried for months to offer amendments and ideas to House GOP leadership, only for them to refuse to compromise. “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. Unfortunately, it is House leadership themselves that have forced this outcome.”
The petition itself is led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). All Democrats are supporting the measure.
A combination of House rules and the chamber going into recess on Friday means that a vote to extend the enhanced subsidies likely won’t come until 2026. That will lead to millions of Americans paying for more for health coverage through exchanges. The House will reconvene on Jan. 6.
Even if the extension passes the House, getting it through the Senate will prove difficult as that chamber rejected a Democratic bill to do just that on Dec. 11.
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