Speaker Mike Johnson injected a dose of pessimism into the conversation around extending enhanced Obamacare subsidies Tuesday — with good reason.
Johnson said there would need to be “dramatic changes” to the enhanced premium tax credits if they were to move forward in the House. It’s not clear if even that would be enough to save Johnson from getting crushed by disgruntled members. He’d need backing from President Donald Trump, at the least.
The politics for Johnson are incredibly difficult. House GOP sources say a big majority of Republicans oppose an extension of the subsidies. These sources believe several dozen members are interested in acting but would need all kinds of changes and caveats. A sliver of the conference wants a clean extension.
The complaints. Here are the problems many House Republicans have with an extension and what, if anything, could be done about them:
