House Advances Dem-Led Bill To Restore Expired Healthcare Subsidies
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Wednesday advanced a Democrat-driven bill to revive expired healthcare subsidies, underscoring the political maneuvering underway as both parties position themselves for November’s congressional elections amid voter anxiety over rising costs.
In a procedural vote, nine Republicans broke ranks and joined 212 Democrats to move the legislation toward a final House vote expected Thursday, according to Newsmax. While the Senate has already rejected the proposal, Democrats argue that a successful House vote could intensify pressure for some form of bipartisan deal.
The push comes as Democrats attempt to weaponize economic anxiety against President Donald J. Trump’s second-term administration. Polling cited by Democrats claims just 33% of voters approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, with healthcare and broader cost-of-living issues ranking high among voter concerns. Democrats have seized on healthcare affordability as a central plank in their effort to retake control of both the House and Senate in the midterm elections.
Trump, for his part, has openly mocked the political buzzword “affordability,” a posture that has reportedly unsettled some Republican strategists worried about electoral fallout. On Tuesday, however, the president urged Republicans to oppose the Democratic healthcare bill, while also signaling flexibility on abortion policy as the party navigates a complex political landscape.
The legislation would reinstate Affordable Care Act subsidies for roughly 24 million Americans, which expired at the end of 2025. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that without renewing the subsidies, approximately 100,000 additional people would lose coverage each year, while federal spending would decline by $36 billion over a decade. Outside analysts warn some enrollees could see their healthcare costs double if the subsidies are not restored.
Under the Democratic proposal, the CBO estimates 3.8 million additional people would gain coverage, but at a significant cost to taxpayers—federal spending would increase by an estimated $350 billion over the next 10 years.
Despite holding neither chamber, Democrats have already forced the issue. Last month, four Republicans from swing districts joined Democrats to compel a vote over objections from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. House Republicans have countered with their own proposal, passed last month, that would reduce overall subsidies, lower costs for some enrollees, raise them for others, and delay implementation until 2027.
In a separate but related display of internal divisions, the House also passed legislation this month aimed at streamlining federal permits for artificial intelligence infrastructure projects. The measure, known as the SPEED Act, is backed by major technology firms including OpenAI, Micron, and Microsoft. It passed by a narrow 221–196 vote after a conservative revolt nearly derailed it at the procedural stage. The Senate is now expected to take up the bill, likely as part of a broader debate over permitting reform.
Supporters argue the bill is essential for national competitiveness, particularly against China. “The electricity we will need to power AI computing for civilian and military use is a national imperative,” said Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., the bill’s sponsor and chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.
The SPEED Act would reform the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act by shortening the statute of limitations for litigation from six years to 150 days and tightening deadlines for environmental reviews. Ironically, persistent permitting delays for Democratic-backed clean energy projects have helped generate bipartisan support for such reforms.
With AI-driven data centers placing increasing strain on the electric grid, pressure has mounted on Congress to act. The bill would allow the United States to be “nimble enough to build what we need, when we need it,” according to Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, the legislation’s Democratic cosponsor.
Still, most Democrats opposed the SPEED Act, insisting that any permitting reform must also reverse President Trump’s efforts to rein in offshore wind projects and other renewable energy initiatives—once again placing ideology and green politics above speed, security, and national competitiveness.