Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has said he would not call for a vote to extend healthcare subsidies used by many low-income Americans that are set to expire at the end of the year.
The decision means it is almost certain healthcare insurance premiums will increase for millions of Americans.
Republicans have said the subsidies were never meant to be a permanent but a temporary solution to alleviate Covid-era stressors, while Democrats have said the move will leave everyday Americans with sizable increases in healthcare costs.
The subsidies were the focal point of the more-than 40-day government shutdown this autumn.
Johnson and moderate House Republicans could not come to an agreement on how best to extend benefits projected to cost some $35b (£26b) per year, he told reporters on Tuesday.
The subsidies – which are part of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, a marketplace system that offers health insurance to millions of Americans – were brought in during Covid.
With Americans currently frustrated by the rising cost of many goods and services, lawmakers have been pushing Congressional leadership to help ease, the pain.
“[Many Republicans] did want to vote on the Obamacare Covid-era subsidy the Democrats created,” Johnson said. “We looked for a way to try to allow for that pressure release valve, and it just was not to be.”
The House Speaker said members worked on it throughout the weekend but could not come to an agreement.
Johnson has said he will not back an extension of the subsidies because their high sticker price needs to be offset with spending cuts.
But moderate Republicans in the House – many of whom are likely to face difficult re-election campaigns in the November midterms – have said that as the party in power, Republicans cannot allow healthcare premiums to increase.
“I am pissed for the American people,” New York Congressman Mike Lawler, a Republican said. “Everybody has a responsibility to serve their district, to their constituents. You know what is funny? Three-quarters of people on Obamacare are in states Donald Trump won.”
Lawyer pleaded for Congress to “fix” the healthcare system.
In a last-ditch effort, some House Republicans have suggested they may join a Democratic push to force a House vote on a clean three-year extension of the subsidies.
Democrats would need just four Republicans in the House to join their effort in order to force an up or down vote on the extension.
But with the holiday season quick approaching, and House members looking to leave Washington by the end of the week, should that discharge petition come to fruition, it is unlikely to get a floor vote until next year.
And even if it passes the House, it is unlikely to have enough support in the Senate.
