Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Votes To Renew Affordable Care Act Tax Credits, Lower Health Care Costs

Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted for H.R. 1834, legislation to extend the Affordable Care Act's Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTC) for three years.

"People in Houston and across the country are in a health care crisis because of policy choices this Congress and the Trump administration have made," said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. "Cutting Medicaid and failing to extend the Affordable Care Act's enhanced premium tax credits is causing the largest loss of health care in American history. But today, Democrats forced a House vote to extend the Affordable Care Act's subsidies that Republicans allowed to expire. I will not stop fighting for access to quality, affordable health care for people in Texas' Seventh Congressional District and across the country."

Since 2021, people who purchase health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace-commonly known as Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act Exchange-have benefited from the EPTCs. The EPTCs expired on December 31, 2025, after Congressional Republicans refused to extend the subsidies. The expiration of the EPTCs is estimated to result in increased premiums for Affordable Care Act beneficiaries. In Texas, it is estimated that health care premiums will increase by 289 percent for people who previously relied on the EPTCs. All health insurance beneficiaries-no matter what their insurance is and whether they rely on the EPTCs-are likely to see their health insurance costs increase.

125,000 people in Texas' Seventh Congressional District depended on the EPTCs to access health care. Texas' uninsured rate-which is already the highest in the country-is expected to increase from 16 to 20 percent because of the EPTCs' expiration.

In November, Congresswoman Fletcher signed a discharge petition to force a vote on H.R. 1834 after Speaker Johnson refused to allow the House to bring this legislation up for a vote. A discharge petition is a legislative tool in the House of Representatives that allows a majority of members-218 members-to force a bill to the floor for a vote by the full chamber, even if the Speaker of the House opposes it. In December, the petition received enough signatures to force a vote in the House on H.R. 1834.