House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has indicated that the Senate is more likely to lead efforts in reaching a bipartisan deal to extend key Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, which are set to expire. While Jeffries acknowledged the bipartisan group of House lawmakers who proposed a compromise, he remains doubtful about House Republican support for substantive negotiations.
The group of four House lawmakers — two Republicans and two Democrats — released a “statement of principles” Monday in an effort to break the logjam as the government shutdown entered a sixth week. They pitched a two-year extension of the tax credits along with new income caps for enrollees.
Democrats have made expiring health care subsidies a centerpiece of their shutdown demands. Jeffries has kept his commitments on the issue vague, ruling out a one-year extension but otherwise saying his caucus would evaluate any bipartisan compromise forged by the Senate.
Jeffries told reporters Tuesday that it seems more likely that if there’s a bipartisan agreement to emerge, it will emerge from the Senate, not the House. He cast doubt on whether House GOP leaders would ever allow a compromise, stating, “It’s been my view from the very beginning that traditional House Republicans aren’t serious about doing anything meaningful, and they never have been.”
The ongoing stalemate underscores the deepening political gridlock as both chambers grapple with the government shutdown. With the Senate expected to take a more proactive role, the path forward for the ACA subsidies remains uncertain, leaving the outcome of the negotiations in the hands of the upper chamber.