U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)
WASHINGTON – U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday he will not allow a vote this week on a bipartisan amendment backed by moderate Republicans that would extend the Affordable Care Act’s expanded tax credits.
Johnson was confident that blocking the amendment would not prompt centrist GOP lawmakers to oppose the Republican health care law, which is scheduled to be voted on Wednesday.
“There are about a dozen members of the conference in these swing districts who are fighting hard to lower costs for all of their constituents. And many of them wanted to vote on this COVID-era Obamacare subsidy created by the Democrats,” Johnson said. “We were looking for a way to make this pressure relief valve possible, but it just wasn’t the case.”
The expanded ACA tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year, significantly increasing the cost of health insurance for the roughly 22 million Americans who purchase plans through the exchange and benefit from the subsidies.
The Republican health care bill in the House of Representatives would not extend those tax credits, frustrating Republican lawmakers in that chamber who are most at risk of losing reelection in the November midterm elections.
Johnson said he expects the Republican bill to pass, but did not address its prospects in the Senate, where bipartisanship is required for nearly all bills to advance under that chamber’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation analysis The bill shows it would reduce the federal deficit by $35.6 billion over the next decade.
According to the joint analysis, an average of 100,000 people per year would lose their health insurance between 2027 and 2035, while gross indicative health insurance premiums would fall by an average of 11% by 2035.
“Idiot and shameful”
New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler said in a speech on the House floor that GOP leaders’ decision to let the expanded ACA tax credits expire was “idiotic and shameful,” especially after adding anti-fraud and cost-cutting changes.
“That’s why we were forced to sign two dismissal requests,” he said. “And yet my Democratic colleagues will not join us, except those who sat at the negotiating table.”
Lawler then criticized House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York for not encouraging Democrats to sign the bipartisan dismissal petitions, noting that they would likely receive the 218 signatures needed for a vote. He argued that this is because Jeffries “doesn’t really want to solve the problem, he wants the problem.”
“This place is a disgrace,” Lawler said. “Everyone wants the upper hand. Everyone wants the political advantage. They don’t actually want to do the damn work. This problem could be solved today if everyone who says an extension is important to them signs the discharge.”
GOP-only bill in 2026?
When the House returns from its two-week recess next year, leaders could look to take advantage of that, Johnson said intricate reconciliation process They used to pass “one big, beautiful bill” on health care.
“What we expect to see in the first quarter of next year, perhaps in the form of a reconciliation package or in regular order, are standalone ideas like this,” Johnson said after being asked a question about health savings accounts. “We have a long list of things that we know will reduce premiums, improve access and quality of care.”
President Donald Trump said Monday he wants Republicans to operate the reconciliation process or eliminate the Senate legislative filibuster to address health care and other policy priorities.
“Republicans should eliminate the filibuster and we should agree to a lot of things,” Trump said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has repeatedly said he has no plans to change or eliminate the filibuster.
Direct payments or tax relief
Trump also reiterated during the Oval Office event that he would like to see Congress send direct payments to Americans to lend a hand them get health insurance or pay for health care.
“I want all the money to go to the people and for people to be able to buy their own health care. That will be incredible,” Trump said. “They’re going to do a great job. They’re going to get much better health care at a much lower cost.”
The Senate voted on two health care bills last week, one from Republicans and one from Democrats, but none received the necessary support to bring about a final vote.
The Republican bill would have provided direct payments to some people enrolled in either bronze or catastrophic ACA marketplace plans, with annual payments of up to $1,500 for 2026 and 2027.
The Democrats’ legislation would have extended the expanded ACA market tax credits for three years.
According to a survey, cost is the most pressing issue
A bipartisan group of senators is trying to find solutions to bridge the political divide, but they are unlikely to reach consensus on the details before the end of this week.
Thune said during a news conference Tuesday that he believes there is a way to get a handle on rising health care costs if Democrats continue negotiating with Republicans.
“Our views on health care and Democratic views on health care are very different. And I think that’s a difficult challenge that we have to overcome,” Thune said. “But if they are willing to accept changes that actually put more power, control and resources in the hands of the American people and less of it in the pockets of insurance companies, then I think there is a path forward.”
Thune acknowledged that Congress won’t be able to pass anything this week, but said he believes “there is a possible path in January if Democrats are willing to come to the table on things that will actually drive down health care costs.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., did not entirely rule out using the government’s Jan. 30 funding deadline to force a partial health care shutdown, although he suggested that nothing could be done about the ACA tax credits after they expire at the end of December.
“Once the expiration date has passed, the toothpaste is out of the tube,” Schumer said.
A Opinion poll A study released Monday by the West Health-Gallup Center on Health Care in America shows that cost is the country’s “most pressing” health issue, followed by access and then obesity.
Only 57% of respondents said they were satisfied with the amount they spent on their own health care, and only 16% were satisfied with the overall cost of health care.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they believe it is the federal government’s responsibility to “ensure that all Americans have health insurance,” while 33% said this is not the case.
