Four Republican members of the House have joined a Democratic discharge petition, guaranteeing a vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies sometime in January. The move upends Speaker Mike Johnson’s strategy and signals a growing divide within the GOP.
A Rare Republican Break-away
The petition, which now sits at 218 signatures, was signed by four Republicans this week. Representative Ryan Mackenzie, one of the signers, said the action has “generated more conversations” and that “hopefully over the next three weeks, we will actually see some changes in some bipartisan efforts that actually can generate a meaningful vote that gets 218 in the House and 60 in the Senate.” He added, “I think allowing a vote is critically important… everyone should be able to put up their votes on the board, and they should be able to let everybody in the American public see how they voted on these individual issues.”
Johnson’s initial response was to refuse a vote before the holiday break. He said the extension would be on the floor the first week of January when lawmakers return. “Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not next year. Today,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries demanded on the Capitol steps, calling for a vote on a three-year extension of subsidies.
GOP Moderates Push for a 3-Year Extension
Jeffries has long opposed a one-year extension. He dismissed a bipartisan effort for a shorter extension as a “non-starter” and “a laughable proposition.” Instead, he has championed a three-year extension with no income caps or cost offsets. The strategy has paid off: the four Republicans who signed the petition have forced Johnson to confront the moderate wing of the party.
“This is the only real plan on the table,” Jeffries said. “The Republican health care crisis is unacceptable, unconscionable, and un-American.”
Some progressives and grassroots groups have criticized Jeffries for not taking a harder line against Trump-era Republicans. Yet on Thursday, many Democrats and moderates rallied behind him on the Capitol steps, praising his approach.
House Republicans’ 100-Page Health Care Package
While the dispute over subsidies rages, House Republicans passed a 100-plus-page health care package focused on long-standing GOP priorities. The bill expands coverage options for small businesses and the self-employed and seeks to rein in pharmacy benefit managers. Johnson touted the measure as “a bigger and better and more important thing for 100% of Americans, not just 7% of Americans.” Yet some Republicans, including Rep. Don Bacon, remain fixated on the looming spike in ACA costs.
“I don’t know how we did not vote on a good bipartisan extension,” Bacon said. He warned that Democrats would use the health care issue “like a sledgehammer” on the campaign trail.
Senate Rejection and Potential Compromise
The Senate has already rejected a three-year extension. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters that a three-year extension of “a failed program that’s rife with fraud, waste and abuse is not happening.” GOP senators are meeting to discuss possible compromise bills that would extend subsidies but add new limitations. They will not consider any proposals until January.
“We could have a vehicle – if we could get Republicans and Democrats behind it – then we could send it back,” GOP Senator Thom Tillis said. “It means that there’s still a chance.”
Internal GOP Tensions
Johnson has argued that criticism of his leadership is inevitable given the slim GOP majority. “I don’t have that, because we have a small margin,” he said. He said leadership had talked about the extension at length with GOP moderates and that “everybody’s in good spirits now and everybody understands what’s happening.”
However, the four Republicans’ break from the party line is the latest sign of discontent. The discharge petition has frozen once it reached the 218-signature threshold, meaning more members may be willing to support the Democratic bill.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise insisted that Republicans are finishing the year “as united as we’ve ever been.” He said the party set out on a course to do big things, not little things, and that differences will arise along the way.
Key Takeaways
- Four Republicans have signed a Democratic discharge petition, forcing a House vote on ACA subsidy extension in January.
- Speaker Mike Johnson has refused a vote before the holiday break, saying the extension will be on the floor the first week of January.
- House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has demanded a vote on a three-year extension, rejecting a one-year extension as a “non-starter.”
- The Senate has rejected a three-year extension, and GOP senators are discussing compromise bills that will not be considered until January.
- The House passed a 100-plus-page health care package focused on small-business coverage and pharmacy benefit managers.
- Internal GOP tensions are rising as moderate members push for a broader subsidy extension while leadership remains focused on its own priorities.
As the House heads for the holiday break, the discontent within the Republican ranks and the looming January vote on ACA subsidies will shape the next chapter of health care policy in Washington.
