The House faces a compressed week: Affordable Care Act premium tax credits are due to expire at month’s end and Congress heads into a two-week recess on Dec. 22. Speaker Mike Johnson is advancing a GOP-only health bill that omits a subsidy extension, while bipartisan discharge petitions seek one- and two-year extensions that would require broad Democratic support. Lawmakers are also pressing for a congressional stock-trading ban and awaiting release of Epstein-related files under a Dec. 19 statutory deadline.
The Week Ahead: House Faces Crunch Over ACA Subsidies, Stock-Trade Ban Push and Epstein Files Deadline
Republican lawmakers enter a short, high-stakes week with multiple deadlines converging in the House. Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits are set to expire at the end of the month, and a two-week congressional recess beginning Dec. 22 effectively gives lawmakers only days to act.
ACA Fight: GOP Package vs. Bipartisan Options
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is moving a GOP-only health care package to the floor that does not extend ACA subsidies. The bill would fund certain cost-sharing reductions, expand association health plans and make it easier for some employers to finance their own insurance arrangements. Republican aides say the floor process will allow an amendment to extend the subsidies, but even with such an amendment the package is expected to struggle to win Democratic support in the Senate.
Meanwhile, rank-and-file members have filed competing discharge petitions to force votes on bipartisan subsidy extensions. A successful discharge petition requires 218 signatures, meaning either path would need significant cross-party backing.
The two leading bipartisan proposals are:
- Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine): a two-year renewal of premium tax credits with reforms including new income eligibility limits, elimination of zero-premium plans, and broader access to health savings accounts.
- Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.): a one-year extension of the credits with more modest eligibility adjustments.
“We’re going to evaluate every single good faith proposal, but it has to meaningfully provide certainty to the American people who are at risk of having their health care ripped away from them,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said as he reviews both petitions.
Hard-line conservatives in the GOP remain broadly opposed to extending the subsidies, complicating prospects for any Republican-led package that includes an extension.
Stock-Trading Ban Push Gains Momentum
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) has circulated a discharge petition aimed at forcing a floor vote on bipartisan legislation to ban members of Congress, their spouses, dependent children and trustees from owning, buying or selling individual stocks. The bill, introduced by Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), is intended to curb conflicts of interest in the House.
As of last Friday, Luna’s petition had 15 Republican and 46 Democratic signatures. Some House Democrats, including House leadership, are reluctant to back a congressional-only ban and want any restriction extended to the executive branch as well, creating internal disagreement that could keep Luna short of the 218 signatures needed.
“This is the most corrupt president since Richard Nixon. In fact, more corrupt than Richard Nixon...the idea that we’re not going to have any checks and balances on this White House in particular...is troublesome,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), reflecting calls from some Democrats for a broader executive-branch component.
Supporters on both sides say conversations with leadership are ongoing and that debate over the scope of any trading restrictions will increase this week.
Epstein Files Deadline: December 19
On another front, the Epstein Files Transparency Act—sponsored by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.)—requires the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days of enactment, with narrow exemptions to protect victims’ privacy. That provision sets a statutory deadline of Dec. 19 for the Justice Department to publish the materials.
President Trump signed the legislation, and Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have intensified pressure by publishing 19 photos from Epstein’s estate, some of which include images of Trump. Lawmakers on both sides say they will be watching whether the Justice Department complies with the statutory timeline.
“I’ll only believe it when I see it...I really hope the administration does the right thing,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said when asked whether she expects a full release.
What To Watch This Week
This week’s actions in the House could determine whether millions of Americans keep their current ACA subsidies, whether Congress advances stricter ethics rules for members, and whether the Epstein-related documents are released on a tight deadline. With recess looming on Dec. 22, lawmakers have a compressed window to resolve all three high-profile items.
Have tips, comments or questions for lawmakers? You can reach the original reporter at SKochi@TheHill.com. Follow coverage for developments as deadlines approach.
