The Senate voted Thursday on two competing health care plans to address expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. The two parties were largely voting messages that gave both parties something to report on when voters faced skyrocketing health care costs after subsidies expired at the end of the year.
Both failed to reach the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.
After more than 40 days of stalemate, a group of Democrats gave in and voted for a stopgap in exchange for the simple promise that Senate Democrats would get a floor vote on an Obamacare-related bill of their choice before the end of the year. Of course, this promise did not guarantee that the bill would pass the Senate, as Thursday’s vote proved, nor, if it did, that the House would pass the bill.
In fact, House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) strategy on this issue has centered on inaction – so much so that members of his own caucus have filed and are supporting discharge petitions to vote on extending the enhanced subsidies.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) filed a discharge petition to extend ACA grants for two years while imposing new eligibility requirements. It has enough Republican support, if combined with Democrats, to force a floor vote. Meanwhile, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) also has a discharge petition that would extend the grants for another year. Several Republicans in the House of Representatives have already signed on.
The failure of the House votes was triggered by the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and Democrats’ efforts to remedy the expiration of subsidies. For months, Senate Democrats have asked Republicans to work with them on an expansion of Obamacare subsidies, among other things, in exchange for their vote on a continuing resolution that would have either continued and then reopened the government. Republican leaders refused, saying they would only negotiate on the expiration of the subsidies as part of a conversation separate from government funding.
After more than 40 days of stalemate, a group of Democrats gave in and voted for a stopgap in exchange for the simple promise that Senate Democrats would get a floor vote on an Obamacare-related bill of their choice before the end of the year. Of course, this promise did not guarantee that the bill would pass the Senate, as Thursday’s vote proved, nor, if it did, that the House would pass the bill.
In fact, House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) strategy on this issue has centered on inaction – so much so that members of his own caucus have filed and are supporting discharge petitions to vote on extending the enhanced subsidies.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) filed a discharge petition to extend ACA grants for two years while imposing new eligibility requirements. It has enough Republican support, if combined with Democrats, to force a floor vote. Meanwhile, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) also has a discharge petition that would extend the grants for another year. Several Republicans in the House of Representatives have already signed on.
Senate Republicans introduced their competing plan, apparently to help them argue they have a solution to the expiration of the grants and explain their opposition to Democrats’ own extension. But in reality, they are far from united on the issue and lack a clear plan around which the party could coalesce.
The failure of the House votes was triggered by the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and Democrats’ efforts to remedy the expiration of subsidies. For months, Senate Democrats have asked Republicans to work with them on an expansion of Obamacare subsidies, among other things, in exchange for their vote on a continuing resolution that would have either continued and then reopened the government. Republican leaders refused, saying they would only negotiate on the expiration of the subsidies as part of a conversation separate from government funding.
After more than 40 days of stalemate, a group of Democrats gave in and voted for a stopgap in exchange for the simple promise that Senate Democrats would get a floor vote on an Obamacare-related bill of their choice before the end of the year. Of course, this promise did not guarantee that the bill would pass the Senate, as Thursday’s vote proved, nor, if it did, that the House would pass the bill.
In fact, House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) strategy on this issue has centered on inaction – so much so that members of his own caucus have filed and are supporting discharge petitions to vote on extending the enhanced subsidies.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) filed a discharge petition to extend ACA grants for two years while imposing new eligibility requirements. It has enough Republican support, if combined with Democrats, to force a floor vote. Meanwhile, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) also has a discharge petition that would extend the grants for another year. Several Republicans in the House of Representatives have already signed on.
The GOP plan – a framework proposed by Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) – would have created government-funded health savings accounts to replace the enhanced subsidies. That’s what President Donald Trump asked congressional Republicans last month: send money directly to individuals and not “waste your time and energy” on other things.
Senate Republicans introduced their competing plan, apparently to help them argue they have a solution to the expiration of the grants and explain their opposition to Democrats’ own extension. But in reality, they are far from united on the issue and lack a clear plan around which the party could coalesce.
The failure of the House votes was triggered by the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and Democrats’ efforts to remedy the expiration of subsidies. For months, Senate Democrats have asked Republicans to work with them on an expansion of Obamacare subsidies, among other things, in exchange for their vote on a continuing resolution that would have either continued and then reopened the government. Republican leaders refused, saying they would only negotiate on the expiration of the subsidies as part of a conversation separate from government funding.
After more than 40 days of stalemate, a group of Democrats gave in and voted for a stopgap in exchange for the simple promise that Senate Democrats would get a floor vote on an Obamacare-related bill of their choice before the end of the year. Of course, this promise did not guarantee that the bill would pass the Senate, as Thursday’s vote proved, nor, if it did, that the House would pass the bill.
In fact, House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) strategy on this issue has centered on inaction – so much so that members of his own caucus have filed and are supporting discharge petitions to vote on extending the enhanced subsidies.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) filed a discharge petition to extend ACA grants for two years while imposing new eligibility requirements. It has enough Republican support, if combined with Democrats, to force a floor vote. Meanwhile, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) also has a discharge petition that would extend the grants for another year. Several Republicans in the House of Representatives have already signed on.
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) did not vote on either plan.
The GOP plan – a framework proposed by Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) – would have created government-funded health savings accounts to replace the enhanced subsidies. That’s what President Donald Trump asked congressional Republicans last month: send money directly to individuals and not “waste your time and energy” on other things.
Senate Republicans introduced their competing plan, apparently to help them argue they have a solution to the expiration of the grants and explain their opposition to Democrats’ own extension. But in reality, they are far from united on the issue and lack a clear plan around which the party could coalesce.
The failure of the House votes was triggered by the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and Democrats’ efforts to remedy the expiration of subsidies. For months, Senate Democrats have asked Republicans to work with them on an expansion of Obamacare subsidies, among other things, in exchange for their vote on a continuing resolution that would have either continued and then reopened the government. Republican leaders refused, saying they would only negotiate on the expiration of the subsidies as part of a conversation separate from government funding.
After more than 40 days of stalemate, a group of Democrats gave in and voted for a stopgap in exchange for the simple promise that Senate Democrats would get a floor vote on an Obamacare-related bill of their choice before the end of the year. Of course, this promise did not guarantee that the bill would pass the Senate, as Thursday’s vote proved, nor, if it did, that the House would pass the bill.
In fact, House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) strategy on this issue has centered on inaction – so much so that members of his own caucus have filed and are supporting discharge petitions to vote on extending the enhanced subsidies.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) filed a discharge petition to extend ACA grants for two years while imposing new eligibility requirements. It has enough Republican support, if combined with Democrats, to force a floor vote. Meanwhile, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) also has a discharge petition that would extend the grants for another year. Several Republicans in the House of Representatives have already signed on.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans remain divided on how to handle the expiration of the grants. Senate Republicans had a defector – Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) – on the plan they presented.
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) did not vote on either plan.
The GOP plan – a framework proposed by Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) – would have created government-funded health savings accounts to replace the enhanced subsidies. That’s what President Donald Trump asked congressional Republicans last month: send money directly to individuals and not “waste your time and energy” on other things.
Senate Republicans introduced their competing plan, apparently to help them argue they have a solution to the expiration of the grants and explain their opposition to Democrats’ own extension. But in reality, they are far from united on the issue and lack a clear plan around which the party could coalesce.
The failure of the House votes was triggered by the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and Democrats’ efforts to remedy the expiration of subsidies. For months, Senate Democrats have asked Republicans to work with them on an expansion of Obamacare subsidies, among other things, in exchange for their vote on a continuing resolution that would have either continued and then reopened the government. Republican leaders refused, saying they would only negotiate on the expiration of the subsidies as part of a conversation separate from government funding.
After more than 40 days of stalemate, a group of Democrats gave in and voted for a stopgap in exchange for the simple promise that Senate Democrats would get a floor vote on an Obamacare-related bill of their choice before the end of the year. Of course, this promise did not guarantee that the bill would pass the Senate, as Thursday’s vote proved, nor, if it did, that the House would pass the bill.
In fact, House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) strategy on this issue has centered on inaction – so much so that members of his own caucus have filed and are supporting discharge petitions to vote on extending the enhanced subsidies.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) filed a discharge petition to extend ACA grants for two years while imposing new eligibility requirements. It has enough Republican support, if combined with Democrats, to force a floor vote. Meanwhile, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) also has a discharge petition that would extend the grants for another year. Several Republicans in the House of Representatives have already signed on.
