Swing-district Republicans rebel, force a vote on Obamacare subsidy extension in blow to Speaker Johnson

Four swing-district House Republicans went rogue on GOP leadership Wednesday and backed a bid by Democrats to force a vote on extending the enhanced Obamacare subsidies in a blow to House Speaker Mike Johnson.The four GOPers signed onto House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ (D-NY) discharge petition to bypass Johnson (R-La.) and vote on a three-year extension to the enhanced subsidies that are set to expire on Dec.

31.“I have not lost control,” Johnson shot back to reporters afterward the discharge petition garnered enough votes.“Look, we have the smallest majority in US history, these are not normal times.

There are processes and procedures in the House that are less frequently used when there are larger majorities.”The measure was the fourth discharge petition this year to reach 218 signatures, the magic number needed to force a vote.Historically, discharge petitions rarely suceed, but has changed in recent years.

The four defectors include: Reps.Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.) and Ryan Mackenzie (R-Pa.), who signed on with a solid bloc of 214 Democrats.

The 214th Dem signature from New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill, who resigned last month, is still considered valid.House rules allow at least seven legislative days before the signatories can notice the issue, once that happens, GOP leadership will have to bring it up for a vote within two legislative days.With the House out for the holidays after this week, a vote won’t likely happen until January, though Johnson could speed up that timeline.“Our bipartisan petition to force a vote on a straightforward extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits now has 218 signatures.

Mike Johnson should bring the bill to the floor immediately,” Jeffries declared on X.Should the extension succeed in the House, it could face an uphill battle in the Senate, which rejected a three-year extension last week in a 51-48, far short of the needed 60-vote threshold.

But w...