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Bipartisan lawmakers unveil Obamacare extension as pressure grows on Johnson for play call
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A bipartisan group of House lawmakers has introduced legislation aimed at keeping COVID-19 pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies alive for another two years.
Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., co-chairs of the Problem Solvers Caucus, have told reporters for weeks that they are working on such a measure as Capitol Hill scrambles to avert skyrocketing health insurance costs for millions of Americans beginning next year.
Democrats in Congress voted twice during the pandemic to expand the availability of premium tax credits for Obamacare, also called the Affordable Care Act (ACA), to make sure more Americans had access to healthcare coverage.
Those enhanced subsidies are set to expire at the end of this year.
BIPARTISAN DEAL ON OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES FADES AS REPUBLICANS PUSH HSA PLAN
Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Tom Suozzi are part of a bipartisan group that unveiled legislation to extend enhanced Obamacare subsidies as pressure grows on Speaker Mike Johnson to act on healthcare. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
A majority of House Republicans have signaled they are not open to extending them, at least not without significant reforms. Conservatives in particular have panned the enhanced subsidies as a COVID-era relic that benefited insurance companies rather than Americans themselves.
But some GOP lawmakers have joined Democrats in warning that failing to extend them at least temporarily at this point will result in millions of Americans seeing their healthcare premiums skyrocket while Congress does nothing to help.
House Republicans are now largely looking to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and their leaders for the next move.
Johnson has said he intends to hold a vote on some kind of healthcare package before the end of this year, while panning Obamacare as a long-broken system badly in need of reforms.
HOUSE GOP SPLITS OVER OBAMACARE FIX AS COSTS POISED TO SPIKE FOR MILLIONS
One House GOP source told Fox News Digital that they expect Johnson to lay out a roadmap on healthcare at Republican lawmakers’ weekly conference meeting on Wednesday morning.
The bipartisan bill released Tuesday is being pushed by a group of four Democrats and three Republicans — Fitzpatrick, Suozzi, along with Reps. Don Bacon, R-Neb., Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa., Jared Golden, D-Maine, Don Davis, D-N.C., and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash.
House Democrats speak at a press conference on healthcare ahead of votes on government funding, in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Nov. 12, 2025. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Fitzpatrick called the legislation «a practical, people-first fix that protects families now, while preserving the space to keep working toward a stronger, smarter, more affordable healthcare system.»
«When the stakes are this high, responsible governance means securing 80% of what families need today rather than risking 100% of nothing tomorrow,» he said in a statement.
In addition to extending the enhanced Obamacare subsidies for two years, the bill also «stops unauthorized plan and subsidy changes by requiring consent and prompt notification before any modifications take effect,» according to a press release.
It would also rein in pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) profits and expand access to health savings accounts (HSAs) — two reforms that other rank-and-file House Republicans have been advocating for.
But it’s not clear yet if House GOP leaders would put the bill on the floor for a chamber-wide vote, nor if it has the backing of their Democratic counterparts.
Still, there are ways to force a vote on legislation without leadership’s approval. One of those methods is called a discharge petition, which requires signatures from a majority of House lawmakers to override leaders’ wishes to vote on a given bill.
ABORTION RESTRICTIONS CREATE MAJOR ROADBLOCK FOR BIPARTISAN OBAMACARE SUBSIDY DEAL IN SENATE
Fox News Digital asked Fitzpatrick last week if a discharge petition could be filed, but he did not give a direct answer, instead saying that the bill would be released imminently.
Bacon told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that a discharge petition is a realistic possibility but cautioned, «It would be wiser to see if we have 60 votes in the Senate first.»
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The plan is one of several put forward by House Republicans to deal with the looming healthcare cliff.
Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, introduced legislation last week to allow states to opt out of Obamacare altogether while radically expanding the availability of HSAs.
And late last week, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced a plan to extend the enhanced Obamacare subsidies — with income caps and extra guardrails against fraud — for a year.
The Senate, meanwhile, is expected to vote this week on Democrat-led legislation to extend the enhanced subsidies, though it’s likely to fail. It’s not yet clear if Senate Republicans will put up their own counter-proposal.
house of representatives politics,politics,republicans,health care healthy living
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Rubio defends US operation in Venezuela, calls out reporter for trying to start a fight
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the U.S. capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday, going on to call out a reporter for supposedly trying to stir up tension during a press conference.
Rubio made the statement during a joint appearance with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. A reporter referenced Fico’s previous criticism of the U.S. operation against Maduro and asked whether he stood by it, leading Rubio to address the issue first while he was answering other questions from the same reporter.
«I think you asked him a question in order to, like, see if you can get him against us, or something… A lot of countries didn’t like what we did in Venezuela. That’s okay. That was in our national interest,» Rubio said.
«I’m sure there’s something you may do one day that we don’t like, and we’ll say we didn’t like that you did this,» Rubio continued, while turning to Fico. «So what? That doesn’t mean we’re not going to be friends, we’re not going to be partners,» Rubio said.
TRUMP ANNOUNCES VENEZUELA TURNING OVER MILLIONS OF BARRELS OF OIL TO US GOVERNMENT ‘IMMEDIATELY’
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) and Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico shake hands at the end of a joint press conference in Bratislava, Slovakia, on February 15, 2026. (Photo by Alex Brandon / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
«We have very close allies that didn’t like what we did in that regard. I can tell you what, it was successful. It was necessary, because the guy was a narco-terrorist, and we made him a bunch of offers,» the secretary continued.
«And look what’s happened in Venezuela in the six weeks since he’s been gone,» Rubio said acknowledging that the country still has «a long way to go.»
«There’s still much work that needs to be done, but I can tell you Venezuela is much better off today than it was six weeks ago. So we’re very proud of that project. And I know some will disagree … I think everyone can now agree that Venezuela has an opportunity at a new future that wasn’t there six weeks ago,» he added.
Rubio’s statement comes days after President Donald Trump recounted the military’s strength during the operation to capture Maduro. Trump, speaking in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, honored U.S. special forces and their families for their roles in the operation.
STATE DEPT CONFIRMS ‘LIMITED NUMBER’ OF PERSONNEL IN CARACAS WORKING TO RESUME VENEZUELA DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
Nicolas Maduro is seen in handcuffs after landing at a Manhattan helipad, escorted by heavily armed federal agents as they make their way into an armored car en route to a Federal courthouse in Manhattan on January 5, 2026 in New York City. (XNY/Star Max/GC Images via Getty Images)
«It was in a matter of minutes before (Maduro) was on a helicopter being taken out of there. They had to go through steel doors,» Trump said Friday afternoon. «The steels were like it was like paper-maché. You know what paper-maché is? That’s weak paper.»
U.S. special operations forces carried out the successful capture of Maduro and his wife on sweeping narcotics charges. Trump celebrated that there wasn’t single U.S. casualty during the operation, despite Maduro being housed on a heavily-armed military base.
«These guys blasted through every door,» Trump continued Friday. «They got up to him before he got to the big safe. But that wouldn’t have worked either, because they had equipment that was going to knock that out in a matter of minutes, but he never got there. It went so fast.»
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Maduro was whisked off on a helicopter, before he was brought to the U.S., where he faces federal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine-trafficking conspiracy and weapons-related offenses. He is being held in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City.
Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.
marco rubio,venezuelan political crisis,politics,nicolas maduro
INTERNACIONAL
El papa León XIV pidió que el Año Nuevo Lunar sirva para construir “paz y prosperidad para todos los pueblos”
El papa León XIV instó este domingo a que el Año Nuevo Lunar, que comienza el próximo 17 de febrero, sea una ocasión para mirar al futuro y construir “paz y prosperidad para todos los pueblos”, tras el rezo del Ángelus dominical.
“En los próximos días se celebra el Año Nuevo lunar, festejado por miles de millones de personas en Asia Oriental y en otras partes del mundo”, señaló el pontífice desde la ventana del Palacio Apostólico.
León XIV expresó su deseo de que esta “alegre fiesta” aliente a los ciudadanos a “vivir con más intensidad las relaciones familiares y la amistad”, y que la celebración traiga “serenidad a los hogares y a la sociedad”.
Y añadió: “Que sea una ocasión para mirar juntos al futuro, construyendo paz y prosperidad para todos los pueblos”.
El Año Nuevo Lunar es la fiesta más importante del calendario asiático y cada año en estas fechas millones de personas se trasladan a diversas partes del continente para encontrarse con sus familias, lo que causa uno de los mayores movimientos de población del planeta.
“Con los mejores deseos para el nuevo Año, expreso a todos mi afecto”, concluyó el papa.
El régimen de China estima que se realizarán 9.500 millones de desplazamientos durante el período de 40 días alrededor del festival, un récord histórico, según información de la Comisión Nacional de Desarrollo y Reforma. Aproximadamente540 millones de esos viajes se realizarán en tren, y 95 millones por aire. El resto será por carretera.
En un país donde se espera que los trabajadores hagan largas jornadas, incluidos los fines de semana, y tengan pocos días de vacaciones anuales, el festival del Año Nuevo Lunar es un tiempo valioso.
Ante la coyuntura, algunos jóvenes optan por no regresar al lugar de origen durante el Año Nuevo lunar, una práctica conocida en redes sociales como ‘esquivar el Año Nuevo’.
Esa decisión se traduce, relatan internautas, en aprovechar las vacaciones para viajar a otros destinos o en invitar a padres y parientes a desplazarse a las ciudades en las que residen.
Las reservas de billetes asociadas al llamado “Año Nuevo inverso” —cuando son los padres quienes viajan para reunirse con sus hijos— aumentaron un 84% interanual, y algunas aerolíneas han lanzado planes específicos para facilitar esos desplazamientos, según datos recogidos por la agencia estatal China News Service.
Esta tendencia se aprecia también en la decisión de algunos jóvenes de emplear sus vacaciones para viajar, en lugar de regresar a su lugar de origen.
“No dispongo de muchas vacaciones cada año y suelo pasar las del Año Nuevo lunar en Shaanxi con la familia”, explica a EFE Li, una oficinista en Pekín que añade que este año viajará a Filipinas durante las fechas festivas.
“Al principio mis padres no se lo tomaron bien porque supone una ruptura de la tradición”, indica Li, quien agrega sin embargo que “acabaron aceptándolo” porque saben que su hija “necesita relajarse y desconectar” de su trabajo en la capital.
El economista Peng Peng señaló al medio financiero Yicai que “las formas de celebración se están diversificando” y que, al tiempo que se preservan las tradiciones, también conviene fomentar otras modalidades que responden a la “importancia creciente” que se da a “buscar la felicidad personal y la relajación”.
(con información de EFE)
Religion,Europe,Religion / Belief
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US forces board sanctioned oil tanker after vessel tried to evade Trump quarantine, Department of War says
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The Department of War (DOW) said Sunday that U.S. forces interdicted a vessel in the Indo-Pacific after it attempted to evade a quarantine order issued by the Trump administration.
In a statement on X, the DOW said the Veronica III was boarded without incident while it was operating in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility.
«The vessel tried to defy President Trump’s quarantine — hoping to slip away. We tracked it from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, closed the distance, and shut it down. No other nation has the reach, endurance, or will to do this,» the government account wrote.
«International waters are not sanctuary. By land, air, or sea, we will find you and deliver justice,» it added. «The Department of War will deny illicit actors and their proxies freedom of movement in the maritime domain.»
US MILITARY SEIZES ANOTHER FUGITIVE OIL TANKER LINKED TO VENEZUELA
U.S. forces conduct a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding of the Veronica III without incident in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility after the vessel allegedly tried to defy President Trump’s quarantine, Feb. 15, 2026. (X/@DeptofWar)
The Veronica III is the latest in a series of high-profile maritime seizures by the U.S. military aimed at enforcing sanctions and curbing the export of Venezuelan oil.
President Donald Trump announced a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going in and out of Venezuela in mid-December, as Washington increased its naval presence in the Caribbean to put pressure on now-former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
According to OpenSanctions, the Veronica III is listed on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals sanctions list.
U.S. forces conduct a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction, and boarding of the Veronica III in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility after the vessel allegedly tried to defy President Trump’s quarantine, Feb. 15, 2026. (X/@DeptofWar)
US COAST GUARD PURSUES THIRD ‘DARK FLEET’ OIL TANKER AS TRUMP TARGETS VENEZUELAN SANCTIONS EVASION NETWORK
The tanker, a large crude oil carrier built in 2006 and flagged in Panama, has been linked to the transport of hundreds of thousands of metric tons of sanctioned Iranian oil and is affiliated with a Chinese ship-management company that has also been sanctioned.
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OpenSanctions notes that the ship has previously sailed under different names and flags as part of efforts to evade sanctions and disguise its activities at sea.
The Veronica III was among the vessels sanctioned by Treasury in December 2024 as part of a broader action targeting 35 other entities and tankers involved in transporting illicit Iranian oil to foreign markets.
military,pentagon defense,world,sanctions
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