Congress

Republicans want a health care plan. They don’t know what will go in it.

Published

3 months ago

December 3, 2025

Republican lawmakers are looking to craft their own health care policy overhauls by the end of next week, when Senate Democrats get a vote on expiring Obamacare subsidies. So far they don’t agree on what their competing plan should look like.

In separate closed-door meetings Tuesday, House and Senate Republicans debated what they could put forth as they face the reality that health insurance premiums will skyrocket if enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits lapse after Dec. 31. Speaker Mike Johnson for the first time definitively promised his anxious members he would put forward some kind of health care blueprint in the coming days, while Senate Republicans discussed how to lower health care costs including through a revamp of health savings accounts.

But GOP leaders in both chambers face deep divisions within their ranks about how to proceed, including whether to extend the credits at all and force Republicans to vote for the first time to affirm Obamacare. With Tuesday’s conversations producing little clarity, GOP lawmakers said they are still far away from a plan they could unite behind by the end of next week.

“Have you ever heard of a Rorschach test? Let’s smear it all over the wall,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said about the state of the GOP’s health care discussions.

Some Republicans on Capitol Hill worry that the failure to come up with any plan in the coming days could be a political nightmare heading into the 2026 midterms, with GOP candidates being dogged by questions about increased health care costs.

Retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) Tuesday warned of a potential backlash during the midterms if the subsidies expire, predicting Democrats would pummel Republicans in 2026 by highlighting a “number of sympathetic cases” where Americans have seen their health insurance costs go up.

“There’s a lot of harmonization that needs to be done,” he said about the GOP’s health care talks.

During their weekly lunch Tuesday, Senate Republicans heard from Finance Chair Mike Crapo and HELP Chair Bill Cassidy about their progress in developing a Republican proposal that could be put on the floor alongside the Democratic plan. Senate Majority Leader John Thune is giving Democrats a vote as part of a deal he struck to re-open the government.

As part of the lunch, Republicans discussed providing more flexibility for how health savings accounts are used, imposing income caps on ACA subsidies and requiring ACA enrollees to make minimum payments on premiums, according to senators in attendance.

Cassidy, a physician, has been an evangelist for boosting health savings accounts as an alternative to extending the tax credits. He’s poised to use a HELP Committee hearing on the topic Wednesday to tout this proposal.

Thune is facing competing pressures within his conference over whether the ACA subsidies should be extended or allowed to sunset. Some GOP senators said after Tuesday’s lunch they expected there would be a vote on some kind of Republican health care measure next week, but Thune wouldn’t commit to that timeline, telling reporters only that his members would continue to discuss ideas.

Crapo, in an interview, said it would be a “collective decision” from the Senate GOP Conference about whether his proposal with Cassidy would get a vote next week.

Republicans are also still waiting to see what the Democratic proposal will be. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters after a closed-door lunch with his own caucus that they discussed the idea and to “stay tuned” on where they would land. Democrats are likely to offer a clean extension of the subsidies, but haven’t said how long that extension would be.

Across the Capitol, Johnson pledged Tuesday for the first time that House Republicans will put forward a health care plan soon. Many House Republicans left a closed-door conference meeting with the sense that GOP leaders could produce a framework by the end of this week.

But House GOP leaders are confronting their own internal squabbling, with one person close to leadership, granted anonymity to speak candidly, describing that goal as “ambitious.”

Leaders of the House Republican Conference have also pushed to omit any ACA subsidy extension from their upcoming health care plan, alarming GOP moderates who worry their reelection prospects hinge on the subsidies’ survival.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise got an earful on the concerns about proceeding without an ACA extension during a lunch meeting with the centrist Republican Governance Group, according to four Republicans in the room.

One of the Republicans, granted anonymity to discuss the private conversation, said that nearly every member of that caucus complained to Scalise that “something needs to be done” on health care before the end of the year. Many of the members present advocated for an ACA subsidy extension.

Scalise didn’t make any promises but said the “will of the conference” would decide whether Republicans could back health care provisions like an extension of the ACA subsidies — though a majority of House Republicans don’t support it.

“We had a good conversation about all the work that’s been done by the three committees of jurisdiction,” Scalise said in an interview after the meeting, referring to House Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means and Education and the Workforce.

“Of course, members that aren’t on those committees, you know, haven’t been aware of some of the things that have come out, but we also wanted to get their feedback,” Scalise added.

Some Republicans are holding out hope for a bipartisan breakthrough, as GOP leaders pursue what would likely be party-line options.

House Problem Solvers Co-Chair Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) is working on a bill that reflects the leaked health care framework the White House was planning to reveal last week but held back amid conservative backlash. He told reporters Tuesday he has discussed the bill with the White House and it is “not addressing” abortion restrictions — a bid to entice Democrats.

“We’re trying to get a bill that can get 218,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think it’s the most serious attempt out there.”

Benjamin Guggenheim and Mia McCarthy contributed to this report.

Congress

House Ethics trial for Cherflius-McCormick postponed as lawmaker seeks new lawyer

Published

40 minutes ago

March 3, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

The House Ethics Committee has postponed its planned public trial for Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick — the Florida Democrat facing accusations that she stole millions in FEMA funding — to later this month.

A hearing of an adjudicatory subcommittee of the Ethics panel was pushed from this Thursday to March 26 after the lawmaker’s “counsel in the matter withdrew from representing her before the adjudicatory subcommittee,” according to a committee press release.

“Representative Cherfilus-McCormick asked for a brief continuance to allow her to retain new counsel,” the statement continued.

Lawmakers on the Ethics Committee, which adjudicates allegations of misconduct against House members and staff, were poised to meet to determine whether the allegations against Cherfilus-McCormick have been proven by “clear and convincing evidence.” There, the committee’s counsel and Cherfilus-McCormick’s counsel could have made their respective cases.

It’s highly unusual for the panel to operate in the open, let alone convene a trial. The last time House Ethics met in such a capacity was in 2010 to consider the case of late-Rep. Charlie Rangel, a New York Democrat accused of a number of charges, including inappropriately soliciting funds and financial disclosure violations.

Rangel’s situation had parallels to that of Cherfilus-McCormick. At the time, Rangel was irate over the Ethics Committee’s handling of the matter, claiming he was denied due process because he could not hire a lawyer in time for the hearing. At one point, he threatened to exit the room and left.

“I don’t think it’s fair that I participate in any type of proceeding if in fact what you are basically telling me that the political calendar will not allow you enough … time to allow me to get a lawyer at this crucial point in my life,” Rangel said, alluding to the fact that the Ethics Committee was rushing to conclude its business before the end of the legislative session.

The panel nearly unanimously voted to censure Rangel for his conduct, which the House approved shortly afterward.

Cherfilus-McCormick, like Rangel, had previously asked for the proceedings against her to be delayed. Her then-lawyer argued that the Justice Department’s criminal proceedings necessitated a stay in the Ethics Committee’s work. The Florida Democrat cited, among other examples, former Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose own case pending before House Ethics case was paused after a request from DOJ.

Congress

House Democrats introduce alternative war powers resolution

Published

1 hour ago

March 3, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Half a dozen moderate House Democrats have introduced their own war powers resolution as the chamber barrels towards a floor vote later this week on a bipartisan measure to curb President Donald Trump’s use of force in Iran.

It’s a sign of how some Democrats are struggling to reconcile their opposition to the Trump administration’s military action with a desire to appear hawkish on national security — even in a largely symbolic capacity.

The new proposed resolution from the six lawmakers would call for an end to military operations in Iran within 30 days unless Congress provides authorization for use of military force or a declaration of war. In contrast, the resolution that is being forced for consideration Thursday from Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) would require the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iran.

The co-sponsors of the alternative resolution are Democratic Reps. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Greg Landsman of Ohio, Henry Cuellar of Texas and Jared Golden of Maine, alongside Reps. Jim Costa and Jimmy Panetta of California.

The Massie-Khanna resolution has little chance of becoming law, even if it makes it through the House — which is no guarantee. Still, there’s pressure on Democrats to take a unified stance in support of the bipartisan proposal and against the Trump administration’s actions, with Democratic leadership and ranking members of key committees urging a “yes” vote to rein in the president.

Asked about the new war powers resolution from members of his caucus, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries during a Tuesday news conference said he had not yet seen the legislative text.

“Our focus is on the resolution that will be on the floor this week,” the New York Democrat said.

Jeffries also said House Democrats will discuss the matter Wednesday afternoon, following an all-member House briefing scheduled for Tuesday evening with Trump administration officials on the unfolding situation in Iran.

“We’ll continue to make the strongest possible case,” Jeffries said. “There is going to be very strong Democratic support for the War Powers Resolution across the ideological spectrum.”

Bipartisan members of the Problem Solvers Caucus, of which Gottheimer is a co-chair, have discussed the matter during their own meetings in recent days. Many have shared concerns that the Massie-Khanna resolution is overly broad and would hamstring the administration regarding key national security efforts, according to three people with direct knowledge of the matter.

Meredith Lee Hill contributed to this report.

Congress

Mike Rounds seeks Pentagon briefing on Anthropic spat

Published

1 hour ago

March 3, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

A top lawmaker on the Senate Armed Services Committee has requested a briefing from the Pentagon on its escalating feud with AI startup Anthropic, which has prompted the Trump administration to threaten to declare the company a supply chain risk.

“I’ll withhold judgment until I’ve had my briefing,” Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), chair of the panel’s cybersecurity subcommittee, told reporters Tuesday, in response to questions from Blue Light News about the unprecedented move.

A supply chain risk designation would result in Anthropic being blacklisted from government contracts — something typically reserved for firms with ties to U.S. foreign adversaries. The technology company is expected to challenge such a designation in court.

The Defense Department and Anthropic did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Negotiations with the Pentagon over use of Anthropic’s AI systems hit a roadblock last week when the firm refused to lift restrictions on the military’s unfettered access to its technology. The startup had sought to stop its systems from being used in fully autonomous weapons systems or for domestic surveillance.

President Donald Trump, roughly one hour before the deadline to meet the Pentagon’s demands, directed all federal agencies to cease use of Anthropic’s AI and declared a six-month phase-out period in a post on Truth Social. Trump threatened “major civil and criminal consequences,” and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in an X post accused the company of endangering national security.

Last week, key defense policy lawmakers on Blue Light News urged a ceasefire as tensions between Hegseth and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei escalated. Top Senate defense appropriators Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), as well as Senate Armed Services Committee leaders Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), sent a letter to the two men expressing “concern over the escalatory direction of negotiations between the Department of Defense and Anthropic.”

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who is retiring at the end of his term in 2027, also weighed in Tuesday, telling reporters: “They’re telling Anthropic that they should compromise their code of conduct to facilitate whatever it is Hegseth or somebody wants.” He added that this will give other AI upstarts the “green light” to cast aside imposing their own codes of conduct.