Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is facing fresh turbulence inside his already narrow House majority after several Republicans joined Democrats to force a floor vote on a three-year extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, often referred to as Obamacare.
Some Republicans say the move reflects mounting frustration with leadership decisions—and has fueled a wave of discharge petitions and other bipartisan maneuvers they argue weaken Johnson’s control of the House agenda.
On Dec. 17, four GOP moderates signed a discharge petition alongside Democrats, pushing it to the required 218 signatures needed to bypass the Speaker and bring the measure directly to the floor. The Republicans were Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Mike Lawler (N.Y.), Rob Bresnahan (Pa.) and Ryan Mackenzie (Pa.).
The vote is expected during the first week of January 2026, when lawmakers return to Washington after the holiday recess.
Critics within the conference have pointed to what they describe as tightly restricted access to floor action, extended recesses that squeeze the voting schedule, and a mishandled shutdown fight—complaints they say have hurt messaging and stalled legislative momentum.
Johnson’s supporters counter that he is navigating competing demands from hardliners, moderates anxious about potential premium increases, and a packed legislative calendar. With such a slim majority, they argue, even routine governing becomes a high-wire act.
“I think if you talk to everybody across the conference, they’ll say, ‘I’m not sure how it could have been handled any differently or any better.’ It’s a very delicate situation. Let’s look at the reality. Health care is a very complicated issue,” he said.
