Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday of undermining President Donald Trump’s reported plan to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits for two years.
The White House reportedly laid out a framework last week to extend billions of dollars in ACA subsidies, but later scrapped the plan after receiving backlash from congressional Republicans. Jeffries blamed Johnson for the plan falling through during a time when Republicans have been unable to reach an agreement on the tax credits that are set to expire on Dec. 31.
“It even appears that the Trump administration was ready to put forth a plan that would at least have been worthy of consideration, and that Mike Johnson tanked it,” Jeffries said. “So now, Mike Johnson wants to act like he’s the Speaker of the House? Really, when it comes to the healthcare of the American people and possibly doing something bipartisan, he wants to act like he’s in control when the reality is he’s done nothing but bend the knee to Donald Trump since January 20. I mean, House Republicans have been nothing but a rubber-stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme agenda since January 20.”
“And when it appears that Donald Trump actually might be willing to enter into a good faith, bipartisan negotiation to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, House Republicans detonate the agreement,” Jeffries continued.
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The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
Senate Republicans promised to hold a vote on the subsidies as part of a deal to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Johnson has not committed to holding such a vote and rejected the idea of negotiating a bipartisan deal on the extensions.
Jeffries and many other congressional Democrats are calling for a three-year extension of the tax credits, which Republicans have not committed to. Senate Republicans, including Majority Leader John Thune, have highlighted the lack of progress in potentially bringing a bipartisan deal to the table by the Christmas deadline.
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