In a private Capitol meeting Wednesday, House GOP moderates and senators plotted next steps for extending the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced subsidies after a Democratic-led discharge petition forced a vote.
Meeting After the Discharge Petition
The gathering followed the signing of a discharge petition that pushed the number of signatures to the 218 needed to compel a vote on extending the ObamaCare subsidies for three years. Four Republicans broke ranks and joined the petition, giving it the required threshold.
Speaker’s Absence
Without cooperation from Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and an emergency hearing in the House Rules Committee, members will not be able to force a vote on the matter until early January. Johnson’s role in moving the bill to the floor remains uncertain.
House Moderates Meet Senators
House moderates convened with a bipartisan group of senators at the Capitol on Wednesday morning. They discussed strategy with senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) and Angus King (I-Maine).
Fitzpatrick’s Plan and Quotes
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, told reporters that once the bill passes the House, they are counting on the Senate to make changes so it can garner the 60 votes needed to pass.
“We’ve taken yet another extreme measure today,” Fitzpatrick said. “This will result in the bill coming to the floor. It will pass. It will go to the Senate, and the Senate, we just met with them, are going to take it up. They’re going to send something back, and we will find a way to get that bill to the floor.”
He added that Johnson should put the bill on the House floor before lawmakers leave Washington for the year. The enhanced subsidies will expire Dec. 31 and many people have already signed up for health insurance coverage on the federal exchanges; the deadline for plans that start Jan. 1 was Monday.
Senate Dynamics and Obstacles
The Senate last week rejected a clean three-year extension of the subsidies. Four Senate Republicans broke ranks to vote with Democrats in favor of the bill, but it was still nine votes short of advancing. That means the House bill will need significant changes, especially if it is to overcome an unresolved fight over abortion. GOP senators will need to rally their colleagues and Democrats to support a compromise.
Senatorial Reactions
Shaheen, exiting the meeting on Wednesday, told reporters that she’s “hopeful” on the path forward.
“The talks, the fact that they’re bicameral and bipartisan are very constructive. And so hopefully we can get something done,” she said, without providing further details.
Murkowski also sounded a positive note, while acknowledging that it’s a near-certainty the subsidies will expire at the end of the year.
“We’re seeing some great actions in the House today. I’m pleased with that. I think that will help prompt a response here in the Senate after the first of the new year, and I’m looking forward to that,” Murkowski said. “It’s too late to avoid the shock factor, but it’s not too late to do something about it.”
Uncertainties and Next Steps
Several questions remain. It’s unclear whether Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) would support bringing such a bill to the floor. And if the bill passes the Senate with changes, it may need another discharge petition to make it back to the House floor.
The decision for four moderate Republicans to back House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ (D-N.Y.) discharge petition came after GOP leadership had rejected moderates’ effort to bring an amendment vote to extend the subsidies on a larger GOP health care package. Negotiations over the amendment deal fell apart after leadership insisted that any extension needed to be paired with spending cuts.
Fitzpatrick, along with Reps. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.) and Ryan MacKenzie (R-Pa.), ended up endorsing the petition.
“We’re representing our people back home, and that’s the job of every single one of us. That’s his job,” Fitzpatrick, referring to Problem Solvers Caucus co-chair Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.). “That’s my job. You know, I never judge any member of Congress for voting with their people back home. That’s our job.”
Fitzpatrick led a separate discharge petition effort to try to force action on a bipartisan bill he and Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) introduced to extend the subsidies for two years with certain eligibility reforms. However, it didn’t have enough Democratic support to advance.
Key Takeaways
- House moderates and senators are coordinating to advance a subsidy extension after a discharge petition.
- The Senate rejected a clean three-year extension, leaving the House bill needing changes and a compromise on abortion.
- Uncertainty remains over Senate leadership support and whether a second discharge petition will be required.
The debate over extending the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced subsidies continues as House moderates and senators navigate a complex legislative landscape, balancing bipartisan cooperation with partisan obstacles.
