Republican rebels hand Jeffries big win by forcing vote on Obamacare extensions

Published December 17, 2025 11:36am ET



Four centrist Republicans handed House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) a huge win by joining a Democrat-backed move to force a vote on the extension of Obamacare enhanced subsidies.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) was the first to sign a Jeffries-led discharge petition, swiftly followed by Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY), Rob Bresnahan (R-PA), and Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA), to get to the necessary 218 signatures, forcing the hand of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). Jeffries’s bill would extend the subsidies, which are set to expire on Dec. 31, for three years.

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