House Republicans Push for ACA Subsidy Vote as Deadline Looms

A splinter group of House Republicans has signed on to a discharge petition to force a vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the month.

The bill, proposed by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), would extend enhanced subsidies for two years with new income limits and anti-fraud measures, similar to other plans that have been introduced in the House and Senate.

The plan was backed by Republicans Don Bacon of Nebraska, Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania, and Nicole Malliotakis of New York.

Republicans joining Fitzpatrick in signing the discharge petition include Reps. Kevin Kiley of California, Mike Lawler of New York, and Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania. Rep. Nick Lalota (R-N.Y.) said he planned to sign on.

“It’s a time-sensitive matter, and it’s an existential matter,” Fitzpatrick told reporters.

“You try to do things through the normal course,” Fitzpatrick said. “You try to do things through regular order.

“You know, [when] all those remedies are exhausted, then you’ve got to go this route, unfortunately.”

House Republicans have expressed alarm that GOP leadership seems to want the tax credits to expire without a replacement, warning it will cost them in next year’s midterms.

“ heated issue,” Rep. John Rutherford (R-Fla.) said to Politico.

“If we fumble this healthcare ball, nothing else is going to matter,” Rutherford added.

“If we don’t win the majority in the midterms, then none of this matters,” Rutherford continued.

“We can’t do anything good then. I think everybody understands that,” Rutherford said.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) told reporters it would be a “bad move” if the tax credits were to lapse, noting many of his colleagues could be defeated.

“There are a lot of good people who won by one, two, three, or four votes,” Van Drew said.

“Do I think this issue is worth a couple points in an election? Yeah, I do.”

If all House Democrats sign on to the petition, it would force a vote, though that is not guaranteed.

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is pushing for a bill that would extend subsidies for three years.

If the petition gets the required 218 signatures, it would not trigger a vote before the credits expire on December 31.