Bresnahan discusses decision to sign Discharge Petitions to extend ACA premium tax credits
WILKES-BARRE — In early January, U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan voted in favor of H.R. 1834, which would extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits that expired on Dec. 31, 2025.
The legislation passed the House by a vote of 230-196, with 17 Republicans voting in favor.
“I came to Congress to fight for an economy that works for the people, and I consider health insurance a part of those dialogues, just as much as the cost to fill your gas tank or put food on the table,” said Bresnahan, R-Dallas Township. “Obamacare has failed to deliver on its promise of lowering insurance costs, and families in NEPA are paying the price. But the only thing worse than a three-year extension of these credits is to let them expire with no solution or off-ramp. I voted for this because, as of right now, it is the only path forward that keeps discussions alive to protect the 28,000 people in my district from immediate premium spikes.”
Bresnahan went on to say, “While we continue working toward meaningful reforms to fix what is broken, I will not sit idly by and let my constituents bear the brunt of a failure caused by both parties. It is time to put politics aside, fight for our people, and come together around a pragmatic, sustainable, and bipartisan solution. I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to come to a result that can be signed into law and make a positive difference in people’s lives.”
With the passage of H.R. 1834, Bresnahan said conversations around the extension of the credits continue in the Senate, with Senators Bernie Moreno (OH) and Susan Collins (ME) working together to develop a solution that can pass the Senate. Bresnahan said he continues to be involved in these discussions.
On Dec. 17, 2025, Bresnahan signed Discharge Petition No. 10 — offered by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York — which forced H.R. 1834 to the House Floor. He was one of four Republicans to do so, signing with Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-PA; Mike Lawler, R-NY; and Ryan Mackenzie, R-PA.
Last month, Bresnahan signed two additional discharge petitions to force votes on similar legislation to extend the tax credits. Bresnahan was the fourth signer of Discharge Petition No. 12, offered by Rep. Fitzpatrick, and the 11th signer of Discharge Petition No. 13, offered by Rep. Josh Gottheimer, R-NJ.
Rep. Bresnahan is a cosponsor of several pieces of legislation to extend the ACA premium tax credits, including:
• H.R. 5145, the Bipartisan Premium Tax Credit Extension Act
• H.R. 6501, the Bipartisan Health Coverage Affordability Act
• H.R. 6575, the CommonGround for Affordable Health Care Act
Bresnahan joins Trump for roundtable on rural healthcare
Bresnahan joined President Donald Trump on Friday for a roundtable discussion on rural health care, the Rural Health Transformation Fund, and their plans to lower the cost of health care.
“When you think about Northeastern Pennsylvania, clinics and rural hospitals are the backbones of our community,” said Bresnahan. “The targeted investments included in the Rural Health Transformation Fund are going to transform rural healthcare for our region, our state, and our nation. Under new leadership in Washington, rural America will no longer be overlooked.”
In addition to Bresnahan, roundtable participants included Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, Sen. Dan Sullivan, Arkansas; and Rep. Mike Lawler, New York.
Rep. Bresnahan said he has been a leader on rural health care. In December, he welcomed Administrator Oz to Scranton for a discussion on the Rural Health Transformation Fund.
At the end of the month, he applauded the fund’s $193 million investment in Pennsylvania health care.