The Senate is set to vote Thursday on whether to extend Obamacare health insurance subsidies that expire in just 23 days. This week’s Senate vote is the result of a deal that ended the historic 43-day government shutdown. But while Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-Soth Dakota) promised a vote on extending the subsidies, there was no guarantee of Republican support. The plan Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) will bring up aims to extend the premium subsidies for three years, but it is expected to fail. How Republicans will engage remains up in the air, as the party struggles more broadly to reach consensus on a range of “affordability” issues. Republicans are leaning against holding a separate vote on their own alternative as they face internal divisions over what to put forward. The decision isn’t final, and some Republicans could try to advance proposals via unanimous consent.
To that end, Republican Senators Mike Crapo (Idaho) and Bill Cassidy (Louisiana) are privately floating a proposal that would expand eligibility for health savings accounts and provide funding for those accounts. Meanwhile, Republican Senator Bernie Moreno (Ohio) is privately pitching a two-year extension of the expiring ACA subsidies, paired with a new income cap and required minimum premium payments.
On the House side, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) surprised a number of Republicans last Thursday when he said he planned to roll out a health care framework in time to present to his conference by early this week. The House Republican plan is likely to encompass bills that committees have been working on to boost health care options beyond the ACA — not an extension of Obamacare subsidies.
For today, at 5:30 P.M., the Senate will take up a Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #571 Robert P. Chamberlin, of Mississippi, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Mississippi.
The House is not in session today, and will reconvene tomorrow at 12:00 P.M. for morning hour and 2:00 P.M. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 P.M.
