House GOP Throws ACA Subsidies Under Bus, Then Argues About Who's Driving

KEY POINTS

•House GOP moderates criticized Speaker Mike Johnson for blocking a vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies.
•Moderates like Lawler and Fitzpatrick may join a discharge petition with House Minority Leader Jeffries to force a vote.
•The issue hinges on payfors for the extension, causing leadership and moderates to clash ahead of the Dec. 11 vote.

In a congressional circus rivaling any reality show, House GOP moderates like Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) are reportedly ready to jump ship and cozy up to Democrats via Hakeem Jeffries' discharge petition to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) crushed their dreams by nixing a vote on this, claiming the solution needed 'offsets'—fancy talk for more payfors, which moderates fear might dilute their cause. Jenn Kiggans (R-Va.) prudently declined to join the bipartisan mutiny—maybe saving her political skin. The drama unfolds ahead of the Dec. 11 vote, fueled by three discharge petitions secretly accumulating signatures, while progressives fear any extension shorter than three years, and disaffected moderates grip Senate defeat as inevitable. Congressman Kiley sums it up best: Congress has a 15% approval rating, and not because their health care dance is award-worthy.

Share the Story

(1 of 3)

Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

House GOP moderates flirt with Democrats to save ACA subsidies because apparently bipartisanship only happens when your leadership refuses to let you vote. Congress: where 15% approval feels like winning the lottery.

233/280 charactersReady to post