Johnson picks sides
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Moderates are furious at Speaker Mike Johnson ahead of tomorrow's big health care day on the House floor.
- "It's idiotic, it's political malpractice," Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) told reporters today of Johnson refusing to give them an ACA extension vote.
Why it matters: The speaker is stuck between conservatives who'll never support an ACA extension — and moderates who could be facing pain in 2026.
- Johnson met with centrists today in a lunch that got heated.
- Outside the room, we could hear Lawler yelling. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) described it as "tense."
Zoom in: Lawler, along with Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.), didn't rule out signing on to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' discharge petition.
- But four Republicans would need to jump to force a vote on a clean three-year extension of the subsidies. The plan would likely die in the Senate.
- Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) has ruled out signing on for the moment, a source familiar with her plans told us.
Between the lines: Johnson told reporters that they tried to find a "pressure release valve" for members who wanted a vote on extending the subsidies but, in the end "there was not an agreement."
- Kiggans plans to try to offer her ACA extension bill that includes a payfor as an amendment to the GOP leadership plan, a source familiar with the matter told us.
- It's not clear whether that can get through the Rules Committee.
What's next: House Democratic leadership is hopeful that if they refuse to budge on their three-year extension red line, Republicans will eventually defect and sign on to Jeffries' discharge petition, two senior House Democrats told us.
- A House Democrat who has spoken with Republican moderates is skeptical that their threats to sign Jeffries' petition are anything more than performative. The Gottheimer discharge petition (see item No. 2) is a backstop for that scenario, the Democrat told us.
- Several progressives did not rule out supporting an extension shorter than three years — if it has Jeffries' support. "I'm deferring to leadership to assess the situation," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.).
— Kate Santaliz and Andrew Solender
