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Vulnerable House Republicans press Johnson on Obamacare subsidies

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Thirteen vulnerable Republicans are urging Speaker Mike Johnson to “immediately turn our focus” to extending Obamacare subsidies after the government reopens.

The group, led by GOP Reps. Jen Kiggans of Virginia and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, laid out its case Tuesday in a new letter to Johnson, reminding him that millions of Americans face skyrocketing health insurance premiums as a result of the expiration of the subsidies at the end of the year.

While the moderate members acknowledge Republicans must not cede to Democratic demands that the subsidies be extended during the shutdown, they also emphasize that Johnson must help the party “chart a conservative path” forward on the credits immediately after the shutdown ends.

“Allowing these tax credits to lapse without a clear path forward would risk real harm to those we represent,” wrote the lawmakers. “Our Conference and President Trump have been clear that we will not take healthcare away from families who depend on it.”

Conversations have already started around pairing an extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits with conservative health care policy priorities. There are discussions about making changes to the structure of the tax credits themselves, for instance instituting new minimum out-of-pocket premiums for all enrollees and imposing an income cap for eligibility.

House GOP leaders are engaged in early, informal conversations with White House officials about potential changes, too. Still, many hard-liners remain dug in against any extension, which Republicans across the political spectrum caution would be a political mistake heading into the midterms.

The Republicans said in their letter that they agree with their conservative colleagues that changes are needed: “Let us be clear: significant reforms are needed to make these credits more fiscally responsible and ensure they are going to the Americans who need them most.”

But with no resolution in sight to the 21-day government funding standoff between the two parties, the letter signals mounting GOP anxiety about the issue as Nov. 1 fast approaches. That’s the date for open enrollment in plans under the Affordable Care Act, at which point it might be too late to avoid massive premium hikes.

State insurance officials have warned that an expectation that the enhanced tax credits will expire has already been baked into updated insurance rates, and it will be difficult to update those rates if Congress passes an extension in November or December.

Kiggans introduced a bill in September that would extend the subsidies for a year, which currently has the support of 28 co-sponsors, equally divided between the two parties. Twelve of the signers of the Johnson letter are supporters of the Kiggans measure.

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Congress

Collins meets the Problem Solvers

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Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins joined the House Problem Solvers Caucus lunch Thursday to talk about the stalled Homeland Security funding effort and proposals to overhaul federal immigration enforcement activities.

“I think everyone is pretty frustrated at this point,” the Maine Republican said in an interview after the bipartisan meeting.

The centrist group, which extended the invitation to Collins, talked through the pain points on finding a path out of the DHS shutdown that has stretched more than 40 days and is triggering massive air travel disruptions. The conversation comes ahead of a House vote later Thursday on funding DHS, where moderates are looking to break the impasse.

Meredith Lee Hill, Jordain Carney and Riley Rogerson contributed to this report.

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Congress

Brian Fitzpatrick delivers a warning on GOP reconciliation redo

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As House Republicans start to dream big about another party-line bill, one key member who voted down the last GOP reconciliation bill is warning his colleagues not to count on his support.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) referenced his vote last summer against the “big, beautiful bill” in an interview Thursday and suggested he was prepared to oppose another GOP-only bill if it, too, includes spending cuts he opposes to social programs.

“You saw what I did on the first reconciliation bill,” Fitzpatrick said. Fitzpatrick and just one more House Republican could be enough to tank a party-line package given Speaker Mike Johnson’s slim majority.

Still, many of Fitzpatrick’s colleagues are making plans for an expansive new GOP-only bill that would include more money for Homeland Security operations, Iran war funding and other cost-of-living priorities, while demanding it be fully offset with spending cuts — possibly from social programs targeted for “fraud prevention.”

“You never say ‘never’ at anything, but I’m never a fan of single-party bills,” Fitzpatrick said. “That’s just my approach to government.”

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Joe Wilson hospitalized

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Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) was hospitalized after falling in his home on Wednesday evening.

Wilson’s office said on Thursday that the 78-year-old is fine and working remotely.

“Last evening, Congressman Wilson slipped in the bathroom of his residence in Washington and cut his head,” David Snider, a spokesperson for Wilson, said in a statement. “He received stitches, is fine, and working remotely.”

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