Congress

House GOP leaders pitch members on addressing ‘Unaffordable Care Act’

Published

10 months ago

November 18, 2025

House Republican leaders delivered a presentation to members Tuesday morning slamming the enhanced tax credits for the Affordable Care Act that are due to expire at the end of the year.

It comes as members of both parties and chambers are rushing to develop, and pass, legislation to lower health care costs by Dec. 31, when the Obamacare subsidies will expire and premiums are set to go through the roof.

There are multiple opinions among Republicans about whether the best path forward to keep the price of health care down involves extending the tax credits — possibly with some modifications to appease conservatives — or constructing an entirely new framework, like an overhaul of health savings accounts.

A slide deck shared by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise made clear that House GOP leadership falls in the latter camp. One slide viewed by Blue Light News was titled “The Unaffordable Care Act,” and highlighted statistics showing that premiums have increased by 80 percent since the ACA’s passage. It also claimed that more than 50 percent of Obamacare enrollees did not file a single claim this year.

Walking into the meeting, Scalise said in a brief interview that he planned to keep talking with the chairs of three key committees of jurisdiction over health policy — Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and the Workforce.

“A lot of members have called me or texted me during the break about the bills they have, and I’ve been making sure everybody’s directed to the committees and talk to the chairman,” Scalise said. “Ultimately, we’re gonna go through regular order on this.”

But the leadership’s position is making some Republicans nervous — and frustrated. At one point during the meeting, Rep. Nathaniel Moran, a Republican in a deep-red Texas district, challenged GOP leaders on why they were now blasting the enhanced Obamacare tax credits just weeks before their expiration date.

House Republicans, Moran continued, should have been talking about alternatives months ago, according to four people granted anonymity to share a private exchange inside the meeting room.

Republican leaders are also facing intense pressure from vulnerable GOP moderates to extend the expiring premium tax credits.

But other House Republicans were unapologetic Tuesday about their desire to put a conservative imprint on health care policy. Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), the chair of the Republican Study Committee, said after the presentation his party should “absolutely” pursue the party-line budget reconciliation process to pass a GOP health care bill.

“The Democrats are incapable of coming up with a plan that is competitive, transparent and actually reduces costs,” said Pfluger, who has been hosting RSC discussions on policies for a second partisan policy package that can pass with a simple majority in the Senate. “The No. 1 bucket that we are focused on in a reconciliation 2.0 is affordability.”

House GOP leaders have not given a timeline for any health care package, but are planning to unveil at least several bills on the topic before the end of the year, according to three people granted anonymity to describe internal strategy discussions.

As House Republicans huddled in the basement of the Capitol building for the first time since September, White House deputy chief of staff James Blair told reporters at a separate event Tuesday morning that while there’s some interest in a bipartisan discussion on health policy, “Dems have not really demonstrated an interest in having constructive conversations.”

In recent weeks, Blair has been hosting health policy meetings at the White House with providers and representatives from hospitals, along with White House legislative staff, according to one person granted anonymity to share details of the private gatherings. It’s a sign that the administration is taking the political ramifications of the credits’ expirations seriously, with Democrats likely to hammer the GOP on the issue in the 2026 midterms.

Democrats are so far continuing to dig their heels in on a “clean” extension of the subsidies. But many moderate Democrats are willing to negotiate modifications as part of an extension.

Congress

Tillis renews calls for Hegseth’s ouster

Published

3 hours ago

September 2, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Sen. Thom Tillis renewed his call for President Donald Trump to fire Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, following the resignation earlier this week of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.

“I have never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country,” the outgoing two-term North Carolina Republican wrote on X. “He is intimidated by competence and retreats to ginning up culture wars instead of soberly attending to the vital work of our national defense and the health and well-being of our fighting force.”

Driscoll, whose long-rumored resignation became official this week, had clashed with Hegseth over the Defense secretary’s reluctance to modernize the Army and his firings of dozens of senior officers. Hegseth has focused more on cultural issues — including grooming and fitness standards — within the department.

“If we had a @SecWar who maintained the same priorities and forward-thinking, he would be fighting to retain talented leaders like Dan and the many flag officers he has forced into retirement,” Tillis charged. “Instead, he is creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks.”

The White House and Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment on Tillis’ post.

Tillis, who is not running for reelection in November, has openly clashed with Hegseth since Trump tapped the former Fox News host to lead the Pentagon in 2024.

In May, Tillis told POLITICO he believed Hegseth had misinformed Trump on the dynamics of a war in Iran. Firing Hegseth, he said, was on “a Christmas wish list.” In a book set to be released next month, Tillis branded Hegseth — along with a handful of other White House officials — as “MAGATS” and accused them of “not looking around corners and taking care of this president.”

It hasn’t earned him friends in the administration.

“The media said how brave he was to take me on, but he wasn’t brave, he was just the opposite – HE WAS A QUITTER!” Trump wrote on Truth Social in May. “Now he can have all the fun he wants for a few months, with some of his RINO friends, screwing the Republican Party. In the end it will only get bigger, and better, and stronger, than ever before!”

Congress

No immediate plans to punish rogue House Democrats for bailing out GOP

Published

3 hours ago

September 2, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Despite a stern message from party leaders, a panel of House Democrats did not settle on any particular consequences for the pair of lawmakers who crossed party lines Tuesday to advance an otherwise troubled slate of Republican-led bills.

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and fellow leaders said the matter would be reviewed by the Democratic Committee on Caucus Rules, which convened Wednesday morning for a prescheduled listening session.

Attendees discussed possible changes to the rules that govern House Democrats’ conduct for next term. Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.), the panel’s chair, suggested to reporters that discussion included what should happen if members vote with Republicans on procedural measures like the one Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) supported Tuesday.

“There’s been a variety of suggestions to change our rules, not just regarding the last couple days, but several suggestions that have been percolating for some time,” Levin said, while adding that any changes would happen only “in the next couple of months.”

The lack of urgency stands in contrast to the stern statement Jeffries and fellow leaders made Tuesday about the rogue members’ “breach of trust” — not to mention the rage some rank-and-file House Democrats are expressing. Some have floated removing the pair from their committees — particularly Gluesenkamp Perez’ seat on the exclusive Appropriations panel.

“Somebody else who is willing to think about other people needs to be on that seat, that exclusive committee,” said one House Democrat granted anonymity to speak candidly.

Jeffries, who was not present at the meeting, also seemed to have a speedier timeline for responding to Gluesenkamp Perez and Golden. He told reporters after the meeting wrapped that he was waiting on feedback from Levin and that the caucus would have conversations “amongst the family about the best way to move forward.”

Asked about his timeline for action against the pair, Jeffries said, “Sooner rather than later.”

Congress

Mike Johnson says he has ‘no plans’ to campaign with Max Miller

Published

4 hours ago

September 2, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Speaker Mike Johnson said he has no plans to campaign with embattled Rep. Max Miller — or visit his home state of Ohio at all — before the midterms.

“I have no plans to go to Ohio between now and the election,” Johnson told reporters Wednesday. “I’ve said everything I can say about the situation. It’s up to the people in his district.”

Miller is running in what had been considered a safe red district before allegations of abuse from his ex-wife Emily Moreno, the daughter of GOP Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno, exploded into public view in recent weeks. Ohio’s two GOP senators have called on Miller to resign.

Miller has denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to continue his reelection campaign. A spokesperson for Miller declined to comment.

Johnson said Monday that he supports Miller’s reelection bid and called him a “great member.” The House Ethics Committee is investigating the allegations, which include physical assaults on his wife and daughter.

“He’s running a good campaign,” Johnson said Wednesday. “He has a nasty divorce. He’s, of course, vehemently denied the claims made. And as I’ve said many times, we allow due process to play out.”