Long Island GOP Reps. LaLota, Garbarino split with party to vote for health subsidy extension

WASHINGTON — Long Island Reps. Nick LaLota and Andrew Garbarino were among 17 Republicans who broke with their party to join House Democrats Thursday to pass a three-year extension of the just-expired Affordable Care Act subsidies.

Both said they do not believe the Democratic bill will win Senate approval as written. But, by advancing the measure to that chamber, they said, the process of forging a bipartisan compromise will hopefully begin.

Another New York Republican, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-Pearl River) also voted for the bill, while 196 of their GOP colleagues opposed it — including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.). The bill passed by a vote of 230 to 196.

In a statement, LaLota (R-Amityville) also said that while the ACA "is deeply flawed," help is needed for the nearly 50,000 of his constituents he says relied on the just-lapsed enhanced premium subsidies or tax credits to pay for their health care.

The bill’s passage, he said, will "give momentum to a bipartisan group of senators working toward a better solution — one that preserves targeted relief, reinstates income caps, and finally cracks down on waste, fraud, and abuse in the program."

LaLota on Wednesday was one of just nine Republicans to join Democrats in winning a procedural vote to allow the final vote on the legislation, despite Johnson’s lack of support.

Garbarino similarly said in a statement after the bill’s approval that he will work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find a long-term solution to health care affordability, as well as addressing fraud and ensuring sustainability in the system.

"Health care affordability is a real issue and this legislation provides a vehicle for Congress to continue that conversation," Garbarino (R-Bayport) said. "This vote was a first step in the process, not the final word on health care reform."

Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) called the bill’s House passage a "huge victory." As the Democratic co-chair of the nearly 50-member bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, he said he hopes to be working with senators on both sides of the aisle to get a final bill passed.

Rep. Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) said the passage was a "major victory," and added "this is how government should work," including "prioritizing people over partisanship."