Republicans quietly optimistic about fix for ACA tax credits
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Thursday. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
A growing number of Senate Republicans are indicating they're open to a deal on extending the Affordable Care Act premium subsidies.
Why it matters: A clear path forward on the ACA issue would solve one corner of the Senate's puzzle to end the government shutdown.
- But reforms will be needed. There's very little appetite for a straight extension.
- "Just extending the status quo is like putting fresh paint on rotten wood, " said Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.). "It's got to be fixed."
Zoom in: At least 13 Republicans will need to support a deal to help the 47 Democrats clear the Senate's 60-vote threshold. Some GOP senators told Axios they think they can get there.
- "I think so," Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told Axios when asked if he believed there could be 60 votes to extend the credits.
- "I've had positive conversations with my Republican colleagues," Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said. "My hope is that more of them will come forward so we can find a path forward to end the shutdown and prevent health care premiums spiking for tens of millions of Americans."
Between the lines: Around 10 GOP senators have reached out to Democratic negotiators exploring ways to address the premium increase, according to a person familiar with the matter.
- Tillis — along with Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) — are among those most expected to support an extension.
Zoom out: Preventing the expiration of the premium tax credits at the end of the year has been the principal Democratic argument for forcing a government shutdown.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has promised a vote on the tax credits, as well as a good faith effort to address the issue, as soon as the government is reopened. He has also set the voting threshold at 60.
- Earlier this month he indicated that a fix was possible.
- "There is a sufficient number of Republicans who, I think, would — with reforms — be supportive of at least doing something for some amount of time," he told Axios.
The other side: Some Republicans refuse to even discuss the tax credits until the government is reopened.
- "I won't even talk about it until after we get done with shut down," said Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.).
But some conservative members have also expressed a willingness to back a short-term extension with an income cap.
- Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) said, "There are a number of members that have been working on" ways to extend the subsidies with reforms. She said she is "certainly open" to voting for a deal.
- Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) told Axios in September that while he would rather let the subsidies expire, he could support an extension that at least included an income cap.
