In a bold move on the House floor, Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick has steadfastly refused to withdraw his discharge petition aimed at securing a vote to extend the expiring subsidies of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This decision intensifies the standoff with House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is scrambling to broker a deal that would replace the petition with a similar amendment.

The tension highlights the challenging situation facing the Republican leadership as they grapple with internal divisions over the future of the ACA enhancements, commonly known as Obamacare subsidies. Despite ongoing negotiations, Fitzpatrick, alongside Representative Jen Kiggans of Virginia, remains unmoved in the absence of a concrete agreement on the GOP's healthcare bill, set for a vote on Wednesday.

Speaker Johnson, in his discussions with GOP moderates, agreed in principle to allow a vote on extending the ACA subsidies if the moderates would deactivate their discharge petitions and ensure the amendment's costs were offset. Johnson proposed using Fitzpatrick’s two-year ACA extension bill as the groundwork for a compromise amendment. However, these talks have yet to yield a fruitful agreement.

After a conversation with Fitzpatrick on Tuesday, Johnson told reporters that they were still exploring various amendment options for the ACA. "I thought there was an agreement on the Fitzpatrick amendment, and then they made different decisions," Johnson lamented, expressing hope that a vote might still be achievable. "I certainly tried my best to provide for that," he added.

Later in the evening, Fitzpatrick, along with Representative Mike Lawler of New York, and a group of moderate Republicans, met again with Johnson. Despite the involvement of top floor and policy staff, the meeting concluded without any agreement.

Meanwhile, the House Rules Committee is setting the stage for the floor consideration of a narrower health package favored by Republican leaders. This package faces opposition from centrists who have proposed over five amendments, including extensions to the ACA subsidies and new tax deductions for health insurance premiums.

If no suitable amendment reaches the floor by Wednesday, several House Republicans are considering supporting a three-year clean extension of the ACA subsidies through a discharge petition initiated by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

In a related development, Fitzpatrick and his bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus are scheduled to meet with a bipartisan group of senators on Wednesday to discuss potential agreements on healthcare reform. This meeting underscores the urgent need for a bipartisan approach to address the looming crisis in healthcare affordability.