Colorado lawmakers react to healthcare subsidies extension headed to House floor

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - Colorado lawmakers are set to vote on an extension of healthcare subsidies in the first week of January.

Healthcare Act Subsidies are set to end January 1, leaving many worried about how much insurance will cost.

Democrats needed 218 signatures on the petition to force the vote to the House floor, and with the signatures of four republicans, they reached that number. Three of the republicans who signed the petition represent Pennsylvania, and the fourth represents New York.

Colorado Republican Congressman Jeff Crank said more people need affordable healthcare, but healthcare subsidies aren’t necessarily the way to fix the problem.

Crank said subsidies only affect around seven percent of Americans, and he would like to see a proposal on how to help 100% of Americans. When it comes to voting on extending subsidies, Crank said he needs more information on the proposal. He said he knows he will vote ‘no’ if there are no proposed changes to how the program currently runs.

“We go to fix it in the right way, and so if this bill doesn’t have any changes or any fixes to the current system, I will not support that. I would like to see relief for everyone on healthcare, but we can’t just continue to put a band-aid on a gaping wound that is the healthcare system in America.”

Colorado Democratic Congress Member Brittany Pettersen reacted to the petition reaching enough signatures for a vote. She released a statement saying, “This is life or death for many in my district and across the nation. now we need Speaker Johnson to do the right thing and let us vote.”

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson confirmed that this proposal will be brought to the floor for a vote in the first week of January.