The Senate is poised to vote on Thursday on two separate plans aimed at addressing a spike in health care costs that are expected for tens of millions of Americans who receive enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits unless Congress acts. Both plans, one put forward by Democrats and the other championed by Republicans, are almost certain to fail. After they do, lawmakers will have only a matter of days remaining to address the expiration of the enhanced tax credits, and there’s little indication that any sort of breakthrough is on the horizon. The Democratic plan that will receive a vote on Thursday proposes a three-year extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that are otherwise set to expire on January 1st. The enhanced subsidies were originally put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Republican proposal, championed by Senate Health Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), would do away with the enhanced tax credits and instead take the extra money from those tax credits and put it into health savings accounts for those who purchase bronze-level or “catastrophic” plans on the ACA exchanges. Republicans say this will help Americans pay for out-of-pocket costs. Under the plan, individuals earning less than 700% of the federal poverty level would receive $1,000 in HSA funding for those between age 18 and 49 and $1,500 for those age 50-64. Republicans say these funds could be used to help cover the higher deductibles on lower cost plans.
For today, the Senate will convene at 9:30 A.M. and take up the Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to Cal. #285– S.3386, to provide a health savings account contribution to certain enrollees, to reduce health care costs, and for other purposes. Following that, the Senate will consider: Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed Cal. #284– S.3385, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the enhancement of the health care premium tax credit, Adoption of Exec. Cal. #4– S.Res.532, authorizing the en bloc consideration in Executive Session of (97) certain nominations on the Executive Calendar and a Motion to lay before the Senate the House message to accompany S.1071, National Defense Authorization Act of 2026.
The House will meet at 11:00 A.M. for legislative business and is expected to take up Complete Consideration of the Golden Discharge Rule H. Res. 432 – Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2550) to nullify the Executive Order relating to Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs and H. Res. 939 – Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States for high crimes and misdemeanors.
The House will then consider the following Pursuant to a Rule: Complete consideration of H.R. 3628 – State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act, Complete consideration of H.R. 3638 – Electric Supply Chain Act, Complete consideration of H.R. 3383 – INVEST Act, H.R. 3898 – PERMIT Act and H.R. 2550 – Protect America’s Workforce Act.
