House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said there would not be a vote to extend the expiring Obamacare subsidies. The decision not to do so has left many legislators peeved, including many Republicans such as Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY).
During an interview on CBS News’s The Takeout with Major Garrett, Lawler blasted the decision not to vote on extending the subsidies.
“It’s idiotic, and it’s political malpractice,” Lawler said. “The fact is that we have a time-sensitive issue, which is the expiration of these enhanced premium tax credits that were put in place during COVID.”
Lawler did acknowledge the failures of the Affordable Care Act, most notably how it has not reduced healthcare expenses in the country. Yet, he admitted that not voting to extend the subsidies was unwise and the motivating factor for his efforts in doing so, highlighting the efforts of the bipartisan committee he worked with to try to get a House vote on the issue.
“We can all agree that Obamacare has failed to reduce healthcare costs across this country. In fact, since Obamacare took effect, healthcare premiums have risen 96%, at minimum,” Lawler said. “So, we need to address the longer-term issue of healthcare costs in this country. But to allow these subsidies to expire without even having a vote, to me, is foolish, and it’s why I am fighting for an up or down vote.”
Lawler criticized both parties’ inaction on the issue. He also accused House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) of not actually wanting a solution but instead preferring to have “the issue” remain and “to fail” so he can use it for political purposes.
“On the Republican side, they don’t want to bring the bills up,” Lawler said. “And on the Democratic side, you have Leader Jeffries, who doesn’t actually want to pass something; he wants the issue. He wants it to fail so that he can use this as a political bludgeon in the next election. It’s why he and Leader Schumer put a three-year clean extension with no reforms on the floor in the Senate and a discharge petition. They don’t actually want compromise.”
HOUSE DRIVES TOWARD OBAMACARE CLIFF
He said too many politicians on both sides are more interested in playing political games than coming up with pragmatic solutions to help people in the country, especially on such an important issue as healthcare premiums. A failure to either extend the current government subsidies or find another resolution will mean a substantial increase in health insurance in 2026 for many people.
“Those of us who are trying to actually legislate and get something done here are left fighting back against the leadership of our respective parties,” Lawler said. “And so, to me, this is the height of absurdity, and it is precisely why things don’t get done in this place, because people would rather have the upper hand or the issue or the political win rather than the hard work of bipartisan compromise. And that’s what I am focused on, on an issue that is critical for millions of Americans.”
