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5d ago

Centrist Republicans Hand Democrats 218 Signatures to Force ACA Subsidy Vote

The move guarantees a January vote under the discharge process, leaving a gap that could allow the enhanced aid to lapse before Congress acts.

Representative Tom Suozzi, a Democrat from New York, left, and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. Moderate House Republicans have revolted against Speaker Mike Johnson and joined with Democrats to force a vote in January on expiring Obamacare subsidies. Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg
El sitio web de la Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible de Estados Unidos (healthcare.gov) en una computadora en Nueva York el 19 de agosto del 2025. (AP foto/Patrick Sison)

Overview

  • Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Mike Lawler, Ryan Mackenzie and Rob Bresnahan signed the Democratic discharge petition on Wednesday.
  • House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries now has the 218 signatures required to trigger the process, though House rules delay any forced floor vote until January.
  • The four Republicans criticized the Democratic bill as flawed but said extending the enhanced subsidies is preferable to letting them expire, with calls for income limits and anti‑fraud safeguards.
  • House Republican leaders are advancing a narrower health bill that does not address the expiring subsidies, increasing the risk that premiums rise for many enrollees next year.
  • A bipartisan Senate group is pursuing a separate path, and Senate Republican leader John Thune would not commit to taking up a House measure, saying, "We'll cross that bridge if we come to it."