WASHINGTON — Four moderate House Republicans on Wednesday added their signatures to a Democratic “discharge petition” to force a vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire this month.
The forced vote is an embarrassing rebuke to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who opposes Obamacare and worked hard to prevent his caucus from embracing the Democratic petition. Johnson planned instead to vote on a Republican health care package that would bolster health savings accounts but not extend the subsidies or expand insurance coverage.
Discharge petitions allow any House member to force a vote on legislation on the House floor, a process that’s usually controlled by the speaker. Successful discharge petitions are typically very rare.
The moderate Republicans who signed the petition — Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Mike Lawler (N.Y.), Rob Bresnahan (Pa.) and Ryan Mackenzie (Pa.) — had been pushing for a floor vote on bipartisan compromise legislation to extend the subsidies with modifications limiting eligibility.
Speaker Johnson refused to allow a vote on the other bills, however, calling it an unnecessary “release valve” for lawmakers from swing districts. It’s not clear if the compromise bills could have passed the House, much less the Senate. The moderates had said they didn’t want to sign the Democratic petition, but apparently changed their minds after Johnson held firm.
