“We Caught Them”: Speaker Johnson Exposes Democrats’ ‘Poison Pill’ Attempt in Funding Bill
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is accusing Democrats of attempting to insert a “poison pill” into a key government funding bill—one he says would have perpetuated a broken healthcare system while driving costs even higher for American families.
In a Monday appearance on Newsmax’s “The Record with Greta Van Susteren,” Johnson detailed what he described as a deliberate effort by Democrats to block Republican-led provisions aimed at lowering healthcare premiums. The revelation comes amid ongoing negotiations to avert another government shutdown and resolve a partisan impasse over Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.
The Fight Over Subsidies
The dispute centers on pandemic-era ACA subsidies—introduced by Democrats—which are set to expire at the end of the year. These subsidies, originally billed as temporary relief, have since become a major political flashpoint.
“The problem is that we are subsidizing very wealthy insurance companies,” Johnson said. “That is not helping costs go down—it’s driving premiums up even higher. Republicans want to fix the broken system, not throw good money after bad.”
Johnson’s remarks follow the House’s passage of a clean continuing resolution on September 19 by a 217-212 vote, extending government funding through November 21. The measure quickly stalled in the Senate, where lawmakers remain locked in debate over the ACA’s future and broader healthcare spending priorities.
Johnson’s Accusation: The ‘Poison Pill’
Johnson claimed that during negotiations over the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act, Democrats stripped out a key Republican proposal that would have reduced healthcare premiums by 12.7%, a move he said revealed their true priorities.
“If Democrats really cared about lowering healthcare costs, they wouldn’t have fought to take that provision out of the bill,” Johnson said. “We caught them trying to sneak in a poison pill that keeps the current system broken—one that rewards insurance companies at the expense of the American people.”
The Speaker argued that continuing to subsidize insurers rather than reforming the structure of the ACA would only entrench rising costs and inefficiency. “When the government subsidizes something, it almost always means it’s not working,” he said. “That’s the problem with the system Democrats built—it’s fundamentally flawed.”
Republicans Prepare New Proposals
With the subsidies set to expire on December 31, Johnson emphasized that addressing healthcare affordability remains an urgent priority. He said Republicans plan to reintroduce reforms in the coming weeks that would directly reduce premiums and tackle the root causes of rising costs.
“We’re putting together some ideas that will drive the premiums down because healthcare is too expensive in this country,” Johnson explained. “We’ve got November and December to work on that, and we’re going to have to find a bipartisan consensus on some of these ideas.”
While he acknowledged the need for bipartisan cooperation, Johnson was sharply critical of what he characterized as Democratic inaction. “The Democrats don’t have any reform ideas at all,” he said. “Their argument is for a completely unreformed continuation—a permanent extension of subsidies for insurance companies. That is not a solution.”
The Road Ahead
The Senate advanced a temporary funding bill on Sunday night, clearing a procedural hurdle that moves the measure closer to final passage. However, Speaker Johnson declined to say whether the House would immediately take up the Senate’s version, which would extend government funding through January 30.
Meanwhile, Johnson told Fox News in a separate interview that he has urged House Republicans to return to Washington ahead of a potential Wednesday vote to reopen the government.
“We’re planning on being here by Wednesday,” Johnson said. “It’s possible things could shift later in the week, but right now we’re on track for that vote. So we need every member back.”
A Defining Policy Clash
The standoff over healthcare subsidies represents one of the most consequential fiscal and ideological battles of the current Congress. For Johnson, it’s also a test of his ability to navigate divided government while maintaining unity within his caucus.
“We have to educate the public,” he said. “As we do that, we’ll introduce reforms that actually solve the problem instead of making it worse. The system Democrats built doesn’t work, and Americans deserve something better.”
As both chambers brace for another round of high-stakes negotiations, the Speaker’s message is clear: Republicans believe Democrats are protecting a broken status quo—while they claim to be the only ones serious about fixing America’s soaring healthcare costs.
