In a stunning betrayal of party lines, four moderate House Republicans have teamed up with Democrat Hakeem Jeffries to push for a three-year extension of Obamacare subsidies, as Fox News reports.
This unexpected alliance, which secured the necessary 218 signatures for a discharge petition, bypasses House Speaker Mike Johnson and could force a vote on the controversial healthcare measure despite fierce opposition from GOP leadership.
Let’s rewind a bit to understand how we got here. The four Republicans—Brian Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mackenzie, and Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania, along with Mike Lawler of New York—signed onto a petition led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Their goal? A three-year lifeline for enhanced Obamacare subsidies is set to expire at the end of next year.
A discharge petition, for those unfamiliar, is a parliamentary maneuver that sidesteps House leadership to compel a full chamber vote if a majority of lawmakers back it. These four GOP defectors tipped the scales to hit that magic 218-signature mark. It’s a rare and bold move, especially when party unity is supposed to be the name of the game.
House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana isn’t hiding his frustration over this end-run. He warned his caucus against supporting Jeffries’s effort, arguing it undermines the proper legislative process. And let’s be honest, he’s got a point—circumventing the chain of command feels more like a progressive power grab than a principled stand.
“Doing an end-run around the majority party, the speaker or the regular process is not the best way to make law,” Johnson told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on a recent Wednesday. With all due respect to the speaker, though, if the GOP isn’t offering a viable alternative, can we really blame a few moderates for jumping ship?
Speaking of alternatives, the House is gearing up to vote on a separate Republican bill focused on reducing healthcare costs for Americans. Notably absent from this proposal? Any extension of the Obamacare subsidies that these moderates are fighting for.
During a recent House Rules Committee meeting on a Tuesday, these same moderate Republicans pitched amendments to extend the subsidies, only to be shot down by their own party colleagues. It’s a classic case of the GOP eating its own—hardly a strategy for winning hearts or minds on healthcare reform.
Rep. Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania, one of the four who signed the petition, has been vocal about wanting a broader debate. “I've always supported bipartisan solutions that would bring about healthcare affordability in this country,” he told Fox News Digital on a recent Wednesday. Admirable sentiment, but signing onto a Democrat-led petition feels more like surrender than strategy.
Mackenzie also pointed out that GOP leadership has refused to entertain votes on bipartisan bills offering shorter one- or two-year subsidy extensions with reforms. If the party won’t even discuss compromise, it’s no wonder some members are looking elsewhere for solutions.
Meanwhile, Rep. Mike Lawler of New York doubled down on his decision to sign the petition via a statement on X. “While I have been working for a bipartisan compromise with reforms, the failure of leadership to allow a vote on the floor left me with no choice but to sign the Democrats' discharge petition,” he declared. Frustration is understandable, but aligning with Jeffries risks alienating the very base that elected him.
Lawler didn’t stop there, urging an immediate vote. “The speaker should immediately bring it to the floor for an up-or-down vote and let the House do the work of the American people,” he added on X. Noble words, yet one wonders if this is less about the people and more about political posturing.
Due to the procedural quirks of a discharge petition, don’t expect a quick resolution. The earliest the House could take up Jeffries’ bill is early next year, leaving plenty of time for more partisan wrangling.
For conservatives, this episode is a wake-up call. When even moderates in the party feel compelled to side with Democrats on a signature issue like Obamacare, it signals a deeper failure to unite around a coherent healthcare vision. Let’s hope GOP leadership takes note before more members jump the fence.
At the end of the day, Americans deserve affordable healthcare options, not endless political theater. Whether through bipartisan compromise or a firm conservative counterproposal, the focus should be on solutions, not scoring points. Here’s hoping both sides can ditch the grandstanding and get to work.
