THE PATH TO NOWHERE: It’s looking all but certain that the Affordable Care Act subsidies — which have emerged as a campaign cudgel for Democrats and health care headache for Republicans — will expire at the end of the month. Though lawmakers have devised multiple solutions, none have brought real consensus. That reality was evident during the briefing that Speaker Mike Johnson delivered to House Republicans this morning, where he presented his conference with a list of 10 different possible policies that could get votes in the coming weeks or months, POLITICO’s Meredith Lee Hill reports. “Some were more specific, such as an expansion of health savings accounts and an overhaul of pharmaceutical benefit manager oversight. Others were vague, including one bullet point that simply said, ‘Innovation.’ The list did not include an extension of the expiring tax credits. Mood music: “The presentation was followed by a heated discussion over the path forward on health care for the party, and vulnerable members including Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) stood up to warn against the political fallout of failing to extend the expiring subsidies,” Meredith writes. “There was a general uneasiness because nothing is coming together,” said one House Republican. “We wasted so much time,” said another. With both sides barreling toward midterms mode, the stakes on the premiums are no longer hypothetical. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is casting tomorrow’s vote on the extension as “one of the most important votes” the Senate will take, just a taste of messaging to come. Johnson signaled at the conference meeting this morning that health care may continue to be a moving target for the GOP in the first half of next year — which will collide with the critical primary season. In the Senate: Republicans tomorrow are planning to back a proposal from Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) that ends the Obamacare tax credits and replaces them with expanded government-funded savings accounts, POLITICO’s Mia McCarthy writes. That will run up against Schumer’s proposed three-year extension. President Donald Trump — who’s got his own thoughts on affordability — has largely stayed above the fray, though he has pushed an idea to give money directly to Americans. The exit strategies: Kiggans and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) have a cross-the-aisle proposal for a one-year extension with income limits and anti-fraud measures, per Punchbowl. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) has a proposal that would extend the tax credits for two years, also with an income cap and some restrictions — telling Meredith and Benjamin Guggenheim that letting the subsidies expire is “not acceptable.” On the Senate side, there’s about five GOP plans and counting, per Semafor’s Burgess Everett. The health care debate is also just one piece in the larger cost-of-living puzzle that is dominating both parties’ messaging campaigns. It comes as the latest POLITICO Poll shows nearly half of Americans say they’re struggling to pay for basic needs like groceries, utility bills and health care. The latest report from Groundwork Collaborative out today has prices up 26 percent this holiday season. And VP JD Vance is Pennsylvania bound next week — following Trump’s trip to the battleground last night — to continue the administration’s push on affordability, CNN’s Alayna Treene reports. Good Wednesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Send us your thoughts at abianco@politico.com and rumansky-castro@politico.com.
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1. FED UP: Fed Chair Jerome Powell will hold a news conference at 2:30 p.m. to discuss a decision on interest rates. Meanwhile, Trump wants to choose someone to take the Fed chair seat only if they’re committed to cutting interest rates immediately, POLITICO’s Victoria Guida reports. This raises some concern about an interference with “central bank policymaking and the threat to its global credibility.” The Federal Reserve is expected to cut rates today, but it's a complex situation as “the economy is sending mixed signals, and it is not entirely clear whether officials should be more concerned about inflation getting stuck above the central bank’s 2 percent target or the labor market suddenly weakening,” NYT’s Colby Smith writes. 2. TRADING SPACES: U.S. manufacturers are decreasing orders for raw materials and other parts because the future of Trump’s tariffs are unclear as everyone awaits the Supreme Court’s ruling on Trump’s authority to impose them, WSJ’s Paul Berger reports. In November, purchasing reached its lowest level since May. Meanwhile, in New Delhi: U.S. and Indian officials today started talks expected to stretch over two days to strike a compromise on a trade agreement, Bloomberg’s Shruti Srivastava writes. “Washington and New Delhi have been working on a trade agreement that would be implemented in multiple stages, with the first phase addressing the retaliatory duties Trump imposed on products from India. The 50% rate includes charges the US president applied in retaliation for India’s purchases of Russian oil.” 3. WEAPONIZATION WATCH: Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats are requesting the FBI hand over the files related to the six Democratic members of Congress — dubbed by Trump as the “Seditious Six” — who filmed a video telling troops to not obey illegal orders, POLITICO’s Jordain Carney reports. They’re requesting AG Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel share any documents or relevant communications by Dec. 29. … The DOJ is challenging the court order that hampered its efforts to get a new indictment against former FBI Director James Comey by making some evidence off limits, AP’s Eric Tucker reports. They’re moving to quash the order that limits the computer files of Comey’s close friend Daniel Richman. 4. TRAIL MIX: Democrats are planting markers on the national map with the DCCC identifying five new “districts in play” as the party hopes to expand the map as Dems enter a midterm year emboldened by recent electoral victories, NYT’s Shane Goldmacher writes. Four of the new seats “were carried by Mr. Trump last year by that margin or less, and one he lost. The changes also reflect recent revisions to congressional maps because of redistricting.” Democrats are eyeing the seats held by Reps. Greg Murphy and Chuck Edwards in North Carolina’s 3rd and 11th districts, Texas’ redrawn 35th District, the redrawn seat held by California Rep. Darrell Issa and that of Florida Rep. Laurel Lee. Endorsement watch: Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger endorsed her former House colleague Elaine Luria, who is running to unseat GOP Rep. Jen Kiggans in a purple district that is the most competitive in Virginia — though Democrats anticipate it could turn bluer if the state’s map gets redrawn, POLITICO’s Nick Wu reports. Empire State of mind: Trump has so far chosen not to endorse in the New York GOP gubernatorial primary with two of his allies, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Bruce Blakeman, are running, NYT’s Grace Ashford reports. “Trump’s refusal to use his influence to halt Mr. Blakeman — and his subsequent neutrality since the announcement — sent shock waves through Republican circles, where many party loyalists had already committed to supporting Ms. Stefanik and wish to avoid a primary.” Digging in down ballot: Democrats are taking a more aggressive angle to win state legislatures, “targeting more than 650 seats and aiming to make gains in 42 chambers,” NYT’s Nick Corasaniti reports.
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PLAYBOOK METRO SECTION — Norwegian embassy chef Eilif Røsok has become viral for cooking the ambassador’s meals in his undershirt, being called “cheese bae,” in the embassy’s Instagram comments. TOUGH LOVE — “Marjorie Taylor Greene’s boyfriend has had a weird month,” by WaPo’s Kara Voght: “[Brian] Glenn is giving up his White House gig and following her back to Georgia. ‘I’m not doing this fly-back-and-forth thing — not doing it, it’s not worth it,’ he told me. Real America’s Voice is building him a studio near home in Georgia, he says. ‘I’ll do whatever content from there — either contribute to the network or do something else as well, another show or something.’ “I asked Glenn if he plans to marry Greene. ‘I see that in the future for sure,’ he said. But he wanted a future with Trump, too. ‘I will continue to support the president — I want to make sure that’s in the piece,’ he told me. But he wasn’t certain that the feeling was still mutual. ‘I haven’t seen him in person yet,’ Glenn said. ‘That first interaction …’” UH OH — FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been reported for an ethics investigation over his public support for Trump and the prize he awarded the president, per The Athletic. OUT AND ABOUT — The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition hosted its 2025 “Tribute to Community & Impact” last night at the Omni Shoreham, honoring America’s farmers, veterans, and small business leaders. SPOTTED: Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Reps. Jim Baird (R-Ind.) and Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), retired Adm. Michael Mullen, retired Gen. Laura Richardson, Luke Lindberg, Jacob Helberg, Norm Coleman, Stephen Benjamin, retired Gen. Kip Ward, Kip Tom, Dan Glickman, Conor Coleman, Brian Cavanaugh, Jeff Graham, Evelyn Farkas, Michael Parrish, Sean Callahan, Emily Gibbons, Vinay Saldanha, Mark Green, Heather Nauert, Candi Wolff, Kathy Pickus, Jenelle Krishnamoorthy and Liz Schrayer. — SPOTTED at The Epoch Times’ holiday party last night: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Leo Terrell, Jim O’Neill, Rob Smith, Samuel Zhou, Jasper Fakkert, Jan Jekielek, Steve Lance, Jackson Richman, Bryan Leib, Ivan Pentchoukov, Cathy He, Tiffany Meier, Eric Hinkes, Nathan Worcester, Sam Dorman, Stacy Robinson, Emel Akan, Luis Martinez, Sam Wang, Jack Bradley and Jeffrey Tucker. — SPOTTED at the Jewish Democratic Council of America’s annual Hanukkah Party at The Hamilton last night: Sens. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Reps. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Laura Friedman (D-Calif.) and Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), Kathy Manning, Ron Klein, Halie Soifer, Sam Crystal, Susie Stern, Amy Spitalnick, Julia Jassey and Matt Dorf. — SPOTTED at SW2’s Christmas party at Tune Inn last night hosted by Seth Wimer and Scott Will: Arkansas AG Tim Griffin, South Dakota AG Marty Jackley, Brian Baker, JT Foley, Matthew Foldi, Domenic Re, Calvin Moore, Will Reinert, Grant Saunders, Greg Butcher, Klarke Kilgore, Marshall Moreau, Jon George, John Neumann and Casey Phillips. — SPOTTED last night at the American Principles Project Gala at the National Building Museum headlined by Education Secretary Linda McMahon and SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler: Lindsey Halligan, Sarah Rodgers, Lynne Patton, Joseph Verde, Dennis Dean Kirk, Benyam Capel, Alexis Wilkins, Paolo Zampolli, Ana Irene Delgado and Terry Schilling. — The Hispanic Lobbyists Association held its annual holiday party last night at the newly renovated Disney D.C. office. SPOTTED: Reps. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), Rob Menendez (D-N.J.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.) and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), Ivelisse Porroa-García, Maria Luisa Boyce, Art Motta, Vanessa Saenz, Maria Amalla, Manuel Bonilla, Pedro Montenegro, Erica Romero, Gregorio Rubio, Carla Rynerson, Norberto Salinas, Corina Scheuren, Marco Davis, Omar Franco, Estuardo Rodriguez, Lucia Alonzo, Leonardo Mendoza-Bernuy, Jaqueline Serrano, Monica Garay, Rubi Flores, Marcus Garza, Liam Forsythe, Yujin Lee, Austin Yager and Matt Alpert. MEDIA MOVES — Tony Dokoupil has been named anchor of “CBS Evening News.” He previously co-anchored “CBS Mornings.” TRANSITION — Caitie LeClere is joining the Congressional Management Foundation as chief of staff. She was previously with the Danaher Corporation and is a Bradley Holdings, Meta and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) alum. … Rob Wilcox is now the President and CEO of the Fund for a Safer Future. He previously worked at the Bident White House’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention. … Allison Nielsen has joined Edelman Smithfield as a VP specializing in financial policy. She previously worked at FGS Global, the American Gaming Association and is a Hill alum. ENGAGED — Caroline Wiles, VP of federal affairs at Rubin Turnbull & Associates, and Bret Worley, an entrepreneur and business owner, got engaged on Dec. 3 in Lake Como. The couple met in Washington during the 2025 inauguration. Pic ... Another pic WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Ryan Jacobs, a longtime speechwriter and an alum of the Biden and Obama administrations, and Melissa Giangrande Jacobs, a senior associate at Hogan Lovells, on Monday welcomed Julian Franklin Jacobs, who came in at 5 lbs, 13 oz. Pic … Another pic Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@politico.com or text us on Signal here. Playbook couldn’t happen without our deputy editor Garrett Ross and Playbook Podcast producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
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