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The program was abruptly halted just minutes before President Donald Trump was to unveil a plan Monday afternoon to block massive increases in Obamacare health plans — reportedly due to widespread Republican unease on the Hill.
On CNN, anchor Jessica Dean was forced to interrupt herself as she asked a question to a health expert to announce some breaking news, when she heard that the program had been suddenly postponed.
Federal subsidies passed under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act are set to expire at the end of the calendar year, and many Americans are already getting notice that the monthly costs of their health care plans could rise by hundreds or thousands of dollars for larger plans.
Democrats initially tried to delay those premium increases Linking its expansion to the party’s support for a sustainable solution To avert and end a government shutdown later. But despite that shutdown being the longest in American history, Republicans refused to negotiate until the government reopened; Democrats ultimately voted to reopen the government without an extension. Earlier in November, the Senate rejected a bill sponsored by Democrats to extend the subsidies by one year.
Now the White House and Congressional Republicans are struggling to agree on the same strategy, while President Donald Trump has added fuel to the fire with his suggestions to eliminate subsidies entirely and give checks directly to Americans. That idea did not get any meaningful support in Congress.
On Monday, the White House was due to make the case for a two-year extension of the same subsidies that Trump has personally railed against, along with new income restrictions. But Republicans on Capitol Hill reportedly rejected the plan outright, forcing the administration to delay the announcement.
A White House spokesperson called the reporting on the soon-to-be-released framework “speculation,” but the West Wing has not denied that expanding the subsidies is being considered.
However, the extent of Republican opposition to any extension of the subsidies was far from speculative, as many conservatives went on record in opposition on Monday.
Representative Eric Burlison of Missouri said, “I would not support it at all.” Now told MS. “Since I last checked, COVID has been gone for a while.”
The outlet also asked Florida Representative Greg Steube whether he would support increasing Obamacare subsidies; He replied simply, “No.” Other House Republicans, who declined to give their names, were less restrained in their responses.
One said, “Fix health care for working Americans or don’t talk to me about subsidies.”
Thomas Massie, one of the few House Republicans willing to openly defy the president, had already refused to support the plan. Massie’s opposition is far from a surprise, given that he did not support the GOP’s reconciliation package in the early 2025 election, but it is no less notable given Republicans’ razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives.
He mocked reports of details of the White House structure, writing on X on Monday: “Oh boy, more 4D chess? A vote to extend Obamacare… is this the Republican solution to health care?”
In early January, the GOP House majority will shrink even further with the planned resignation of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.
As conservatives are loathe to accept any expansion of subsidies, they might see such a plan passed regardless. Democrats have continued to express willingness to sign on to the expansion of IRA subsidies. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told reporters this week that she would wait for full details of the White House plan to be released before taking a position, but signaled her openness to action.
Trump and the congressional GOP leadership could potentially cut a deal with Democrats to secure an extension of the subsidies, but doing so would deepen divisions in the president’s own party. However, delaying the issue would raise prices for millions of Americans with less than a year to go before the midterm session, where the Republican Party’s majority faces a tough defensive battle in both chambers. The consequences of blowing up the issue now could be disastrous for frontline members of the party next year.
A House Republican described as a “senior” member of the caucus By punch bowl’jake sherman rebuked the White House in a message to the outlet Monday morning.
The senior Republican wrote, “This entire White House team has treated every member like trash. And Mike Johnson allowed it to happen because he wanted it to happen. Almost everyone has the same feeling – the appropriators, the authorities, the hawks, the doves, the rank and file.”
He added, “The arrogance of this White House team is harassing members, who are treated rudely and intimidated. They don’t allow small wins like small grants to be announced or even answers from agencies. Not even high profile, regular rank and file random members are more harassed than ever. Members know they are going to be in the minority after the midterms.”
The member predicted: “More explosive early resignations are coming. It’s a tinder box. Morale has never been lower. Mike Johnson will be stripped of his position and he will lose the majority before this term is up.”