How Mike Johnson’s views on health care, student debt, and taxation could shape the House agenda

Introduction

The House of Representatives has a new speaker, but Mike Johnson (R-La.) faces the same challenges that beset Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in finding enough Republican votes to pass legislation. Johnson, who has only served four terms in Congress, has a history of backing anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ legislation. He also has a conservative vision for health care reform, student debt relief, and taxation that could clash with President Biden’s agenda and the interests of some moderate Republicans.

Here are some of the key aspects of Johnson’s views on these issues and what they could mean for the House’s legislative priorities:

He wants to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act

Johnson was one of the architects of the Republican Study Committee’s health care plan in 2019, which revisited many of the concepts Republicans previously proposed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The plan called for capping federal Medicaid funds, expanding health savings accounts, creating high-risk pools instead of guaranteeing coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, and allowing states to opt out of some of the ACA’s regulations¹.

Johnson also supported the American Health Care Act (AHCA) in 2017, which passed the House but failed in the Senate. The AHCA would have repealed most of the ACA’s taxes and subsidies, ended the Medicaid expansion, and replaced the individual mandate with a penalty for having a gap in coverage².

Johnson has criticized the ACA as a “failed experiment” that has increased costs and reduced choices for Americans. He has argued that his plan would lower premiums, increase competition, and empower states and individuals to make their own health care decisions³.

However, Johnson’s plan has faced criticism from Democrats and some health policy experts, who have warned that it would result in millions of people losing coverage, especially those with low incomes or pre-existing conditions. They have also questioned the feasibility and effectiveness of high-risk pools, which have historically been underfunded and unstable¹.

He opposes Biden’s student debt relief program

Johnson has been a vocal opponent of Biden’s student debt relief program, which would cancel between $10,000 and $20,000 in loans for borrowers whose income falls below certain levels or who have received a Pell Grant. The program would also extend a pandemic-era pause on loan payments and interest accrual until September 2023⁴.

Johnson has introduced a resolution to block Biden’s program, arguing that it burdens taxpayers and is unfair to Americans who have already paid off their loans or who did not attend college. He has also claimed that student debt relief would not address the root causes of rising tuition costs and would encourage more borrowing⁵.

Johnson has said that he supports alternative solutions to help students afford higher education, such as expanding access to vocational training, increasing transparency on college costs and outcomes, and reforming federal student aid programs to reduce waste and fraud⁵.

However, Johnson’s resolution faces unlikely odds in the Democratic-controlled Senate. Biden has defended his program as a way to provide relief to millions of Americans struggling with student debt amid the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. He has also argued that his program would reduce racial disparities in wealth and education, boost consumer spending, and stimulate economic growth⁴.

He supports tax cuts for corporations and wealthy individuals

Johnson has been a staunch supporter of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which lowered the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and reduced the top individual income tax rate from 39.6% to 37%. He has also backed bills that would make these tax cuts permanent, repeal the estate tax, and eliminate the alternative minimum tax.

Johnson has argued that these tax cuts have boosted economic growth, created jobs, and increased wages for American workers. He has also claimed that these tax cuts have benefited the middle class and small businesses, not just the wealthy and large corporations.

However, Johnson’s support for these tax cuts has been challenged by Democrats and some economists, who have pointed out that these tax cuts have increased the federal deficit, widened income inequality, and favored the rich over the poor. They have also argued that these tax cuts have not delivered the promised growth and investment, and have instead led to more stock buybacks and dividends.

He faces a daunting list of challenges

Johnson may have won the speakership with unanimous GOP support, but he still faces a divided and restless Republican conference that has been plagued by infighting and scandals. He will also have to contend with a narrow Democratic majority in the Senate and a Democratic president who has vowed to defend and expand the ACA.

In the short term, Johnson will need to tackle FY 2024 appropriations before the Nov. 17 deadline. He will also need to find a way forward on the numerous “extenders” that expired at the end of September and have been languishing, including funding for community health centers, anti-opioid programs, and the PEPFAR program to combat AIDS and HIV.

Johnson has laid out a tentative legislative schedule to approve new spending and take up other pieces of legislation, but things could change quickly as he confronts the realities of governing, especially given the fractious nature of his conference. He will also have to balance his conservative principles with his pragmatic instincts, as he tries to advance his agenda while avoiding government shutdowns or debt defaults.

Johnson has said he wants to work with Democrats on areas of common ground, such as infrastructure, trade, and national security. But he has also signaled his opposition to Biden’s social spending plan, which includes provisions on health care, climate change, education, immigration, and more. He has accused Democrats of pursuing a “radical agenda” that would “bankrupt America” and “destroy our way of life”.

Johnson’s views on health care, student debt, and taxation could shape the House agenda for the next year and beyond. Whether he can deliver on his promises or face resistance from his own party or the other branches of government remains to be seen.

References

1. https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-pandemic-has-intensified-systemic-economic-racism-against-black-americans
2. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/27/mike-johnson-value-moral-conservative-republican
3. https://nypost.com/2021/11/12/bidens-build-back-better-will-raise-taxes-on-30-of-middle-class-families/
4. https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/576758-democrats-reconciliation-bill-breaks-bidens-middle-class-tax-pledge/
5. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/30/white-house-next-student-debt-relief-plan-00124351
6. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-vote-measure-block-bidens-student-debt-relief-program-rcna85974
7. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-vote-measure-block-bidens-student-debt-relief-program-rcna85974