Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., on Wednesday filed a discharge petition to force a vote on a two-year extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits, as House GOP leadership eyes a health care vote next week that won’t include such a measure.
The petition had only eight signatures as of Wednesday afternoon, though some supporters said it could get the support of between 10 and 20 Republicans. A discharge petition needs 218 votes to force a vote on a bill, but it’s unclear if it will get enough support as Democrats have pushed for a longer extension of the subsidies.
“If these protections expire, millions of Americans will be hit with premium increases they simply cannot afford, forcing impossible choices about their health, their finances, and their futures,” Fitzpatrick said in a statement. “They deserve a concrete solution now — not promises of one later.”
