Fitzpatrick Defies Speaker Johnson in Healthcare Subsidy Battle

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) said Tuesday he would continue with his discharge petition to force a floor vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.

The Pennsylvania representative, who represents a battleground district, rebuffed House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who sought a workaround by allowing a vote on an amendment with similar substance. Johnson told moderate Republicans such as Fitzpatrick he would support their bill if they agreed to turn off their discharge petitions and ensure the amendment was funded through a satisfactory offset.

The speaker also aims to use Fitzpatrick’s legislation, which would extend “Obamacare” subsidies for two years, as the foundation for a compromise amendment. Johnson stated he remains working on a compromise with Fitzpatrick.

“I thought there was an agreement on the Fitzpatrick amendment and then they made different decisions,” Johnson told reporters. “There’s a real possibility they get a vote on it.”

Fitzpatrick, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Jennifer Kiggans (R-Va.), and other moderate Republicans met with Johnson and his staff on Tuesday but left without an agreement. As the House Rules Committee prepares to consider a narrow healthcare package backed by Republican leadership for floor action, centrist lawmakers have submitted more than five amendments seeking to extend subsidies or add tax deductions for health insurance premiums.

Other House Republicans are evaluating a three-year clean extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies proposed by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who is pushing through a discharge petition. Fitzpatrick is also meeting with the Problem Solvers Caucus and rank-and-file senators to discuss healthcare negotiations.