GOP Moderates Back ACA Subsidy Bill

By: Paul Goldberg, Senior Editor | JRL CHARTS – LGBT Politics

WASHINGTON, D.C. — (December 10, 2025) — A bipartisan push to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits has now drawn 16 Republican co-sponsors, signaling a growing rebellion among moderate GOP lawmakers as millions of Americans brace for steep health insurance premium hikes if the current subsidies expire December 31.

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The bill — introduced by Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) — has amassed 38 total co-sponsors, according to documents first reported by POLITICO. The measure reflects a rare bipartisan alignment as Congress faces mounting public pressure over rising health care costs heading into 2026.

Moderate Republicans Break from Party Leadership

House GOP moderates reportedly expressed deep frustration in a closed-door conference meeting this week, criticizing party leadership for proposing alternative health care measures that fail to address the looming expiration of ACA tax credits.

House Speaker Mike Johnson now faces the possibility that centrist Republicans may join Democrats in filing a discharge petition — a rarely used procedural maneuver allowing lawmakers to bypass leadership and force a floor vote. If filed and signed by at least 218 members, the move could compel action on the subsidy extension regardless of leadership resistance.

This echoes previous moderate revolts on issues such as government shutdown avoidance and Ukraine-Israel aid packages, reflecting growing ideological fractures within the GOP conference.

What the Kiggans-Gottheimer Bill Would Do

The bipartisan bill proposes:

A one-year extension of enhanced premium tax credits enacted during the Biden administration.
New income caps to focus subsidies on low- and middle-income Americans.
Anti-fraud guardrails to satisfy conservative fiscal hawks.
A mandated vote by July 2026 on additional proposals aimed at lowering national health insurance premiums.

Health policy experts warn that without congressional action, ACA marketplace premiums could jump by hundreds of dollars per month for millions of Americans — including LGBTQ individuals, who disproportionately rely on marketplace coverage due to employment discrimination, gaps in employer insurance access, and higher self-employment rates.¹

The 16 GOP Co-Sponsors

Republican supporters of the bill include a cross-section of moderates from battleground districts:

New York: Mike Lawler, Nick LaLota
Pennsylvania: Rob Bresnahan, Ryan Mackenzie, Brian Fitzpatrick
Florida: María Elvira Salazar, Carlos Gimenez
New Jersey: Jeff Van Drew, Tom Kean
California: David Valadao, Kevin Kiley
Arizona: Juan Ciscomani
Colorado: Jeff Hurd
Nebraska: Don Bacon
Texas: Monica De La Cruz

Their participation underscores rising electoral anxiety, as many represent districts where health care affordability ranks among top voter concerns.

New Fast-Track Rules Could Reshape Future ACA Reform Battles

Notably, the bill includes procedural reforms designed to accelerate future legislation related to ACA premium credits. The proposal requires:

Any “enhanced premium tax credit reform bill” with at least 10 bipartisan co-sponsors must be discharged from committee within five legislative days.
The House and Senate must hold floor votes on such measures within days of committee discharge.

If enacted, these new rules could significantly limit the ability of party leadership in both chambers to block bipartisan health care measures — a major development heading into the next election cycle.

A Race Against the Clock

“With less than three weeks before these tax credits expire, millions of Americans are facing unaffordable health care,” Gottheimer warned in a statement.

The bipartisan surge places renewed pressure on Speaker Johnson to act quickly — or risk a coalition of Democrats and moderate Republicans circumventing leadership entirely.

Footnote

¹ According to Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and Williams Institute studies, LGBTQ adults are significantly more likely to rely on ACA marketplace coverage due to employment discrimination and lower rates of employer-sponsored insurance.

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