Nine House Republicans just stabbed conservative taxpayers in the back by joining Democrats to force a vote on extending Obama’s failed healthcare subsidies for three more years.
Story Snapshot
- Nine GOP House members defied Trump and Speaker Johnson to advance Democrat Obamacare subsidy extension
- Procedural vote passed 221-205, setting up Thursday vote on three-year, $50+ billion spending increase
- Enhanced ACA subsidies expired January 1st as scheduled, but RINOs now want to restore failed Obama policies
- Trump opposes extension, preferring rapid replacement with conservative healthcare reforms
- Senate unlikely to pass due to 60-vote threshold, making House vote largely symbolic political theater
Republican Betrayal Enables Democrat Healthcare Agenda
The House passed a procedural rule 221-205 on Wednesday that clears the path for Democrats to ram through a massive three-year extension of enhanced Obamacare subsidies. Nine so-called Republicans abandoned conservative principles and joined every single Democrat to advance this fiscally irresponsible measure. These turncoats include Mike Lawler and Nick LaLota from New York, Rob Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie from Pennsylvania, Brian Fitzpatrick, Maria Salazar from Florida, David Valadao from California, Thomas Kean from New Jersey, and Max Miller from Ohio. Their betrayal directly contradicts President Trump’s clear opposition to extending these bloated government handouts.
This procedural maneuver represents a stunning rebuke to Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership and conservative fiscal priorities. The discharge petition process essentially allows Democrats to bypass Republican leadership when enough GOP moderates cave to political pressure. These nine Republicans handed Democrats a victory on a signature Obama-era program that was supposed to be temporary pandemic relief but has morphed into permanent government dependency. The enhanced subsidies originally expanded eligibility and increased payments beyond traditional ACA levels, creating an expensive entitlement that benefits roughly 22 million of the 24 million marketplace enrollees.
Trump Opposes Extension, Favors Conservative Healthcare Solutions
President Trump made his position crystal clear on December 18th when he expressed strong opposition to extending these subsidies. Trump stated he would prefer to see rapid implementation of conservative healthcare reforms if Democrats would cooperate, rather than propping up Obama’s failing system with more taxpayer dollars. This represents a fundamental disagreement with the nine Republicans who prioritized constituent pressure over party unity and conservative governance. Trump’s opposition signals his commitment to replacing Obamacare with market-based solutions that reduce government dependency rather than expanding it through continued subsidies.
The timing of this betrayal is particularly galling given that Trump just returned to office with a mandate to dismantle the administrative state and reduce federal spending. These enhanced subsidies were always intended as temporary COVID relief measures, not permanent entitlements. Allowing them to expire as scheduled would force a long-overdue conversation about sustainable, market-driven healthcare reforms that don’t burden taxpayers with endless government spending. Instead, these nine Republicans chose to enable Democrat talking points about Republicans taking away healthcare benefits.
JUST IN: House Votes to Advance Democrats' Obamacare Subsidies – These 9 Republicans Voted with Dems https://t.co/jAVO2p9cGL #gatewaypundit via @gatewaypundit
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) January 8, 2026
Senate Unlikely to Pass Extension Despite House Drama
Despite the House theatrics, this extension faces nearly insurmountable odds in the Senate where a previous three-year extension already failed to reach the required 60-vote threshold. Only four Senate Republicans supported that earlier attempt, including usual suspects Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Josh Hawley, and Dan Sullivan. Senate leadership has shown little appetite for advancing a clean extension without significant conservative reforms attached. Some bipartisan negotiations are exploring a more limited two-year compromise that would tighten eligibility requirements, eliminate zero-dollar premium plans, and expand Health Savings Account access.
The White House is monitoring these Senate discussions closely, but any compromise would need to align with Trump’s broader healthcare agenda and fiscal priorities. Democrats are already balking at proposed changes like ending zero-premium plans and adding new abortion-related funding restrictions, making a bipartisan deal increasingly unlikely. This means Thursday’s expected House passage vote amounts to little more than political theater designed to give vulnerable Republicans cover with constituents while knowing the bill will die in the Senate.
The real tragedy is that 22 million Americans are now caught in the middle of this political gamesmanship, facing higher premiums after the enhanced subsidies expired on January 1st. Rather than extending failed Obama policies, Congress should focus on conservative healthcare solutions that reduce costs through competition, transparency, and reduced government interference. These nine Republicans missed an opportunity to stand with Trump and conservative principles when it mattered most, instead choosing to enable Democrat narratives about Republican cruelty while advancing fiscally irresponsible spending policies that burden future generations with unsustainable debt.
Sources:
House ACA vote, Senate Obamacare subsidies – Axios
9 Republicans vote with Democrats to set up House vote – ABC News
House advances three-year extension of Obamacare subsidies – Politico