The House has approved a discharge petition that would force a floor vote on a clean three-year extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries introduced the petition amid debate over the subsidies. Several Republicans crossed the aisle to approve the petition. Voting on the extension is likely to occur in January.
From NBC News:
Rebelling against their leaders, four House Republicans on Wednesday signed onto a “discharge petition,” giving Democrats the 218 signatures needed to force a vote on a three-year extension of the Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire for millions of Americans on Dec. 31.
If the enhanced premium tax credits expire, as is expected, insurance costs are projected to double, on average, for about 22 million Americans who get their coverage through Obamacare.
The discharge petition, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has all 214 Democrats on board.
The four Republicans who signed on Wednesday morning and pushed it to 218 were Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa., and Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa.
All four represent competitive districts that could make or break the GOP’s narrow House majority in November. Democrats have been slamming each of them as complicit in the impending lapse of the funding, which first passed in 2021 under President Joe Biden in a bid to cap premiums for “benchmark” plans at 8.5% of income.
Fitzpatrick said his hand was forced by the refusal of Republican leadership to “compromise” after he attempted “for months” to offer ideas and amendments.
BREAKING: Hakeem Jeffries' discharge petition to extend Obamacare subsidies has reached 218 signatures.
— Quiver Quantitative (@QuiverQuant) December 17, 2025
Four Republicans who are in vulnerable districts signed on.
This forces a vote on a clean three-year extension. pic.twitter.com/sx6KFRlIXY
President Donald Trump has opposed a clean extension of the subsidies. He said he would “rather not extend them at all” but acknowledged that “some form of extension might be essential” for achieving other policy goals.
Trump favors redirecting the money that goes toward the subsidies to go directly to consumers instead of insurance companies. This would allow Americans to buy their own health care plans.
🚨 BREAKING
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) December 17, 2025
Jeffries’ Obamacare discharge petition has officially hit 218.
Pennsylvania Rep. Ryan Mackenzie just signed on.
That forces the House to vote on a clean, three-year extension of the Obamacare premium subsidies.
This is no longer theoretical. It is happening.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has also taken a firm stance against extending the subsidies. He declined to schedule a floor vote on the matter even though moderate Republicans pushed for it. The vote came after Johnson announced he would not bring the matter to the floor, which would mean the subsidies would expire.
If the subsidies are allowed to lapse, premiums for over 20 million Americans could skyrocket.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy Townhall’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join Townhall VIP and use the promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member