‘Doing nothing is not an option,’ says Fitzpatrick on GOP affordability agenda
Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick is carving out a lane that is seeing him butt heads with GOP leaders.
The Bucks County Republican told CNN’s Manu Raju during an appearance on “Inside Politics Sunday” that members of his party need to extend expiring health care subsidies as the midterm elections approach.
“If you don’t have a better plan, then get on board with ours,” said Fitzpatrick. “But doing nothing is not an option.”
Fitzpatrick, who carried PA-01 by 12 points in a district that was won by Kamala Harris in 2024, is putting forward legislation to extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies due to expire at the end of the year. That puts him at odds with most Republicans in the chamber.
“Affordability is such a crisis in this country right now,” he said, explaining that for low- and middle-income constituents, “a significant increase in their premiums is not an option.”
Back in 2017, he voted against the GOP push to repeal the Affordable Care Act because he found the replacement “insufficient.” Eight years later, Fitzpatrick says Republicans “still have not been able to put together an articulable plan that’s going to work for everyday Americans.”
During the interview, Fitzpatrick also showed that he is not in line with his party’s leaders, as he wishes to find a health care compromise, defend Ukraine, and not rubber-stamp major pieces of President Donald Trump’s agenda.
The five-term congressman does not feel that Republicans are focusing enough on the affordability issue and cost-of-living concerns.
“Every bill we bring to the floor should be focused on lowering the cost of living for people who need it most,” he said, criticizing recent legislative efforts related to condemning socialism and regulating compensation for college athletes.
“Why are we focusing on that? That’s not what our constituents care about,” Fitzpatrick continued.
He hinted that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) may not want the speaker’s gavel in the next Congress, should the House remain in GOP control.
“I am not sure Mike wants the job next Congress, but that’s a question for him.”
Fitzpatrick and Johnson entered Congress as classmates in 2017, when Fitzpatrick recalls his colleague “led the bipartisan charge for civility.”
“I personally like him. Do I agree with every decision he makes? Absolutely not. I never agree with every decision every speaker’s made,” he said.”
Fitzpatrick faces a challenge from Bucks County Democratic commissioner Bob Harvie in what is perceived as one of the Keystone State’s purplest districts.
“I’m a pretty independent-minded person,” he said, underscoring his willingness to break with his party on major votes, like Republican leadership’s push to pass Trump’s sweeping domestic policy agenda ahead of the president’s self-imposed July 4 deadline.
“I got a lot of heat for it, both back home and from the White House and from some of my colleagues here, but I politely reminded them that I don’t answer to any person or any party in Washington, DC. My bosses are back home,” he said.
As for whether those cuts may cost Republicans the majority, Fitzpatrick said, “everyone’s going to answer for their votes,” noting the more popular tax cuts that came alongside the tightening of access to Medicaid and other government programs.
“You’ve got to have a tough spine and thick skin, and the easiest way to navigate times like that is to never lose focus on who your bosses are,” he said.
Steve Ulrich is managing editor of Politics PA.
