By Ginika Igboke
Rank-and-file lawmakers from both parties are voicing deep frustration over Congress’s lack of progress on keeping health care affordable for Affordable Care Act (ACA) users while also addressing the rising cost of care for all Americans.
The dispute over enhanced ACA tax credits played a central role in the recent federal government shutdown, with Senate Republicans refusing to renew the five-year program and Democrats refusing to reopen the government without it.
Now, with just four weeks remaining until the tax credits expire, members of Congress are offering their own proposals—and openly criticizing their leadership for failing to act.
Republican leaders are scrambling to unify their razor-thin Senate majority around a plan, while top Democrats continue pushing for a simple extension of the credits without added reforms.
Bipartisan Group Proposes “Common Ground 2025”
A bipartisan coalition of 35 House members, led by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), introduced a plan on Dec. 4 called Common Ground 2025. The proposal would extend the enhanced tax credits for two years while implementing initial reforms, followed by broader revisions to the ACA.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), a longtime critic of Obamacare, said the plan would allow people to keep their coverage next year while Congress works toward a long-term solution.
“Quite frankly, I wish we didn’t have 43 days off,” Van Drew said, referring to the six-week recess during the shutdown. “We could have worked on health care that entire time. But here we are.”
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) echoed that frustration, saying leadership must focus on outcomes instead of political points. “It’s very easy to say what you’re against,” he said. “Solving the problem requires all of us working together.”
According to Kiggans, the two-year extension would include Republican-backed measures such as:
An income cap on eligibility
Stronger safeguards against fraud, waste, and abuse
By mid-2026, lawmakers would aim to pass more comprehensive ACA reforms, including changes to hospital billing transparency, ending $0-premium plans, and incorporating Health Savings Accounts into the system.
Democratic Leadership Demands a Clean Extension
Republicans, who hold the Senate majority, promised Democrats a vote on extending the enhanced tax credits in exchange for eight Democratic votes to reopen the government on Nov. 12. That vote is scheduled for Dec. 13.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Democrats will introduce a clean three-year extension—no added reforms—which he framed as a test of Republican seriousness.
“Every single Democrat will support it,” Schumer said. “That means Republicans have only one week to decide where they stand.”
Both Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) declined to comment on Common Ground 2025 or the competing Democratic proposal introduced by 115 House Democrats on Dec. 3.
Jeffries insisted the path with the most support across both chambers is “a three-year extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits.”
Some Democrats aren’t so sure.
Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), a member of the bipartisan group, said neither party’s leadership has presented a plan that can gather the 60 Senate votes required for passage. “We haven’t seen anything that could realistically get through both chambers,” he said.
Republicans Struggle to Unite Around a Single Strategy
Rank-and-file Republicans have circulated several ideas to bring down health care costs, though none has gained enough traction to unite the party.
Recent GOP proposals include:
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.): Let taxpayers deduct all out-of-pocket medical expenses up to $25,000 per person, even without itemizing, and make individually purchased premiums tax-deductible.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.): Let consumers buy association health plans through large retailers such as Amazon, Costco, and Sam’s Club.
President Donald Trump, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.): Provide direct cash payments to individuals for health-care use, instead of sending subsidies to insurance companies.
Some Republicans are open to extending the enhanced tax credits, while others demand major reforms before agreeing.
Schumer criticized Republicans’ internal divisions, saying they have “no unified plan.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) argued that the narrow GOP majority requires careful consensus-building, but said Republicans are close to unveiling their proposal.
“What I’ve got to do is build consensus deliberately around the best ideas, and we’ve been working on that,” Johnson said on Dec. 2. “We understand the need of bringing down health care costs while raising access and quality. We’re going to improve the system for Americans.”
Original article
Comments