House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is hoping to bring four House Republicans into the fold to support Democratic plans for a three-year extension to expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Jeffries stood firm in his commitment to the clean, three-year plan supported by only Democrats on Tuesday, as a separate, bipartisan group of House members floated a two-year extension with income caps.
Jeffries stood by Democratic plans for a three-year extension, which Senate Republicans have referred to as unserious, during a press conference.
“214 Democrats, every single House Democrat, supports legislation to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits and has signed a discharge petition to force an up and down vote,” Jeffries said. “All we need are four House Republicans, just four in 219, all we need are four, to join us. Keep your word to the American people that you are not going to let the Affordable Care Act tax credits expire.”
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and a group of more centrist, bipartisan lawmakers introduced the Bipartisan Health Insurance Affordability Act on Tuesday as an alternative to the three-year subsidies. Their plan extends the Obamacare enhanced premium tax credits for two years and modifies eligibility with income caps.
“The Bipartisan Health Coverage Affordability Act preserves the ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credits for the families who need them most, implements sensible income caps to reduce costs and better target benefits and cracks down on prescription drug middlemen,” Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) said in a statement. “This moment requires leaders to abandon their partisan corners and govern. Our bill provides a path out of gridlock and toward solutions.”
Jeffries told reporters that he had not yet reviewed the proposed two-year extension bill: “I haven’t had an opportunity to review the legislation being put forth by Rep. Fitzpatrick and Rep. Golden. Of course, I’ll take a look at it to see if there’s anything meaningful there as it relates to a path to getting something done.”
However, he stood committed to the three-year extension bill as the “most meaningful path forward” as the clock runs out on the Dec. 31 deadline before premiums are expected to spike for ACA recipients.
“Affordable Care Act tax credits expire on the 31st at the end of the month, and bills are still being introduced now?” Jeffries said. “The most meaningful path forward, clearly, is for just a handful of Republicans to join us in the House and for just a handful of Senate Republicans to vote in the next day or so on the bill that will be on the Senate floor that will extend the Affordable Care Act tax credit.”
SENATE DEMOCRATS SETTLE ON THREE-YEAR OBAMACARE SUBSIDY BILL, DRAWING GOP JEERS
Even if four GOP House members jumped ship to support the Democrats’ plan, the situation would not be promising if sentiments stayed the same among Senate Republicans on the three-year clean extension proposal.
“This isn’t a serious offer,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) said last week. “This is not an offer that they’re trying to get Republican buy-in at all. That’s not it. This is complete messaging on their part.”
