The House of Representatives has decided not to hold a vote this week on an extension of the enhanced premium subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which are scheduled to lapse at the end of the year. An attempt by moderate Republicans to bring an extension to the floor was unsuccessful, as the House Rules Committee blocked several proposed amendments to a GOP health care plan that does not include an extension of these subsidies. The committee did advance the GOP bill to the floor, with a vote anticipated on Wednesday.

Moderate Republicans have expressed confusion and concern regarding the decision not to address the expiring subsidies, warning of the political consequences of allowing insurance premiums to rise for over 20 million Americans who purchase insurance through ACA marketplaces. House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated earlier that there would be no amendment votes, although he later suggested that some ideas for addressing the issue were still being considered.

Republican Representative Mike Lawler of New York criticized the decision, labeling it a significant error not to extend the tax credits. He suggested that the Republican leadership's inaction could provide Democrats with a political advantage in upcoming elections. Lawler urged Democrats to support bipartisan discharge petitions aimed at forcing votes on legislation to extend the tax credits for one to two years, although such petitions would require a waiting period before a vote could be called.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, has called for Republicans to support a Democratic discharge petition that would extend the tax credits for three years without reforms, needing the backing of four Republicans to proceed. GOP Representative Kevin Kiley of California has not dismissed the possibility of supporting the Democratic petition. Kiley criticized the GOP's current health care plan as inadequate, stating that it fails to address the immediate needs of millions of Americans.

During the Rules Committee meeting, Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania remarked that failing to extend the subsidies would be worse than extending them without reforms, highlighting the urgency of the situation for those affected by the potential increase in health care costs.