Republicans are challenging House Speaker Mike Johnson to force the House to vote on extending support for the ACA

WASHINGTON (AP) — Four centrist Republicans broke with House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday and signed a Democratic-led petition that would force the House to vote on a three-year extension of enhanced pandemic-era subsidies that lower health insurance costs for millions of Americans.

The stunning move comes after House Republican leaders pushed forward a health care bill that does not address the higher monthly premiums that millions of people will soon have to pay, as tax breaks for those who purchase insurance through the Affordable Care Act expire at the end of the year.

Democrats led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York needed 218 signatures to force a vote on the bill, which would extend the benefits for three years.

Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Robert Bresnahan and Ryan McKenzie, all of Pennsylvania, and Mike Lawler of New York, signed on Wednesday morning, pushing them to the magic number of 218. The support bill could come to a vote as soon as January under House rules.

“Unfortunately, it was the House leadership itself that forced this outcome.” Fitzpatrick said in a statement.

Origins of the Republican Revolution

The revolt against the GOP leadership came after days of talks centered on health care support.

Johnson, R-Los Angeles, has discussed allowing more politically vulnerable GOP lawmakers the opportunity to vote on bills that would temporarily extend benefits while adding changes such as caps on recipient income. But after days of debate, leadership sided with the more conservative wing of the party convention, which attacked the subsidies as supporting the failed ACA market.

House Republicans on Wednesday pushed through a 100-plus page health care package without the subsidies, instead focusing on long-awaited GOP proposals designed to expand insurance coverage options for small businesses and the self-employed.

Fitzpatrick and Lawler tried to add a temporary extension of benefits to the bill, but were rejected.

“Our only request was for a vote on this settlement, so that the voice of the American people could be heard on this issue,” Fitzpatrick said. “That request was denied. Then, at the request of House leadership, my colleagues and I introduced multiple amendments, and I provided extensive testimony on those amendments.” “The House leadership then decided to reject each of these amendments.

“As I’ve said many times before, the only policy worse than a clean three-year extension with no reforms is a full expiration policy with no bridge,” Fitzpatrick said.