House Dems, GOP Float Shutdown Compromise

A group of centrist House Democrats and Republicans on Monday unveiled a proposal that they believe could finally cut through the partisan impasse that has kept the government shut down for more than a month.

A handful of Democrats have openly questioned their party's refusal to budge on Republicans' stopgap spending measure as a way to kick-start talks on renewing expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits.

On the Republican side, some lawmakers are starting to chafe at the House's prolonged absence and GOP leadership's refusal to even negotiate the tax credits.

Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) on Monday released a broad outline for a potential compromise extension of the ACA tax credits.

The Enhanced Premium Tax Credits would be extended for two years, with a phased-out income cap for those making between $200,000 and $400,000 a year.

The proposal also includes several reforms, including requiring ACA marketplaces to confirm that recipients haven't died, creating a new standard for cracking down on fraud and providing more transparency on the value of recipients' tax credits.

"Congress is gridlocked, and too many Americans have lost faith that we can work together," the lawmakers said in a statement.

"But here's the truth: Democrats and Republicans can sit down, listen to one another, and find common ground, especially when it comes to lowering health care costs."

The lawmakers pitched their proposal as a "fair, reasonable path forward" on the ACA tax credits, adding, "Compromise isn't rocket science, and it shouldn't be treated like a weakness."

A House Democratic leadership aide did not dismiss the proposal, instead telling Axios that a set of ideas is never a bad idea for consideration.

A House Republican familiar with GOP leadership discussions told Axios last week that new restrictions like income verification and income caps were being considered.