Republicans at a hearing said they wanted a deal with Democrats, but no compromise emerged. Senators of both parties said Wednesday they want to come together to hash out a deal to handle expiring Obamacare subsidies. They just can’t decide on what. A hearing of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on affordability revealed interest in compromise, but no consensus on what to do about the expiring enhanced subsidies that threaten to spike health insurance premiums. “If we don’t do something on this issue, if Congress does not take action this will be a crisis for 24 million Americans and counting,” said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). But Hawley’s move Wednesday to make his own pitch for a far-reaching change to the country’s health policies — he offered a bill to allow people to deduct up to $25,000 in medical expenses — showed how GOP lawmakers aren’t willing to go with the simplest solution, a temporary extension of the subsidies Democrats prefer. The subsidies are slated to decrease at year’s end, making Obamacare plans more expensive. Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who’s proposed another major Obamacare overhaul, launched the hearing by talking about the need for a solution in the next three weeks. He said Congress can discuss going further in the new year. “Let’s try to find a way we can all live with,” said Cassidy, who’s begun talks with Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) in a bid for bicameral bipartisanship. But a short time later, an exchange between Cassidy and the panel’s ranking member, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), highlighted the problems lawmakers face in getting a deal. Sanders asked why Congress can’t just extend the enhanced subsidies. Cassidy countered that changes are needed to address the high out-of-pocket costs in the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges. “The reason people are uninsured is because they have $6,000 deductibles. As a doctor, I know that was a barrier to care,” Cassidy said. “That is the status quo. We can change that status quo for next year. I don’t want people to be underinsured.” Cassidy has proposed taking the enhanced subsidy funding and converting it into a health savings account people can use for a bronze tier plan. Bronze plans have a much lower premium than other tiers but higher out-of-pocket costs like deductibles. Cassidy argues Americans can use the government-funded HSA to pay down those costs. Sanders bristled at the idea, saying that Cassidy’s approach “is not going to guarantee health insurance to all people.” Some senators suggested a short-term subsidy deal to buy more time for talks. “We are going to need to have a short-term extension, but I think we can put reasonable [income] caps on,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.). Senate Majority Leader John Thune has promised Democrats a vote on a subsidy extension next week. It’s doomed to fail, given GOP opposition. It remains unclear whether there will also be a bipartisan package or a Republican alternative to vote on.

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President Trump has officially pardoned former Honduran President who US officials said was at the center of one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world.

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Federal officials failed to secure the new indictment against James, whom Trump has targeted, after a judge said the previous one was secured by an unlawfully appointed prosecutor.

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