House Democrats’ bill to extend enhanced Obamacare premium subsidies for three years will get a vote after four swing-district Republicans joined them on a discharge petition to force action.
The Republicans — Pennsylvania Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Rob Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie and New York Rep. Mike Lawler — were angry that their leadership would not give them a vote on one of the bipartisan bills to temporarily extend the expiring subsidies.
They have opposed the Democrats’ bill but felt it was the only option left to force a vote on the issue.
“Despite our months-long call for action, leadership on both sides of the aisle failed to work together to advance any bipartisan compromise, leaving this as the only way to protect the 28,000 people in my district from higher costs,” Mr. Bresnahan said on social media.
Weeks ago, all 214 House Democrats had signed onto a discharge petition to force a vote on a clean three-year extension of the enhanced subsidies.
The four Republicans who signed it Wednesday brought the total signatories to 218, the threshold for a majority of the House that is needed to force a vote.
But the timing, coming two days before the House is set to adjourn for the year, means the vote will not occur until January unless GOP leaders allow it to happen sooner.
