In a notable display of dissent within the Republican ranks, four moderate GOP members of the House have aligned with Democrats to push for a vote on extending Obamacare subsidies, which are set to lapse at the end of this year.
The quartet, consisting of Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mackenzie, Rob Bresnahan, all from Pennsylvania, and Mike Lawler from New York, have lent their support to a discharge petition initiated by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. This petition seeks a three-year prolongation of the subsidies.
As reported by Fox News, a discharge petition serves as a procedural tool that allows lawmakers to bypass House leadership and bring legislation to the floor for a vote, provided it garners majority backing. With the signatures of these four Republicans, Jeffries' petition has reached the pivotal 218-signature mark, ensuring it meets the necessary threshold for consideration.
Representative Mackenzie, in a conversation with Fox News Digital, expressed his rationale for supporting the petition, stating, "I've always supported bipartisan solutions that would bring about healthcare affordability in this country." He criticized Democratic leaders for not endorsing bipartisan solutions and noted the absence of a leadership-driven initiative to extend the Obamacare tax credits.
Mackenzie advocated for a vote on the Democrat-led proposal as well as two bipartisan bills that propose one- and two-year extensions, each incorporating reforms.
This move comes in defiance of Speaker Mike Johnson's earlier admonition to Republicans against backing Jeffries' petition. Johnson, speaking on CNBC's "Squawk Box," argued that circumventing the majority party and the established legislative process is not the optimal method for crafting laws.
He emphasized that the House is poised to vote on a Republican-backed bill aimed at reducing healthcare costs for all Americans, without extending the subsidies, which they contend are symptomatic of a flawed public healthcare system.
Efforts by moderate Republicans to introduce amendments to extend the Obamacare subsidies during a House Rules Committee meeting were thwarted, as their GOP colleagues on the panel rejected these proposals. Representative Lawler, expressing his frustration on X, stated, "While I have been working for a bipartisan compromise with reforms, the failure of leadership to allow a vote on the floor left me with no choice but to sign the Democrats' discharge petition."
He urged the Speaker to promptly bring the matter to the floor for a decisive vote, allowing the House to fulfill its duty to the American public.
Due to procedural constraints associated with a discharge petition, the earliest opportunity for the House to deliberate on the Jeffries bill would be early next year. This development underscores the ongoing tension within the Republican Party as it grapples with healthcare policy and the broader implications for the American healthcare system.
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