[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 50 (Thursday, March 19, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1395-S1396]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 4686. Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Reed, Ms.
Alsobrooks, Mr. Lujan, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Van Hollen, and Mr. Durbin)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S.
1383, to establish the Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access, and
for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted, insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Health Care and
Lowering Costs Act''.
SEC. 2. REPEAL OF RECONCILIATION HEALTH PROVISIONS.
(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b),
subtitle B of title VII of An Act to provide for
reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14
(Public Law 119-21) is repealed and any law or regulation
referred to in such subtitle shall be applied as if such
subtitle and the amendments made by such subtitle had not
been enacted.
(b) Exceptions.--
(1) In general.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to the
provisions of and amendments made by sections 71202, 71306,
and 71401 of such Act.
(2) Availability of funds allocated under the rural health
transformation program.--Section 2105(h) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397ee(h)), as added by Public Law
119-21, is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1)(B)--
(i) in the subparagraph heading by striking ``Unexpended or
unobligated'' and inserting ``Availability of'';
(ii) by striking clauses (i) through (iii) and inserting
the following:
``(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), funds allocated
to a State from amounts appropriated under subparagraph (A)
shall remain available until expended.''; and
(iii) by redesignating clause (iv) as clause (ii); and
(B) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking ``paragraph
(1)(B)(iv)'' and inserting ``paragraph (1)(B)(ii)''.
SEC. 3. PERMANENT EXTENSION OF ENHANCED TAX CREDIT.
(a) In General.--Subparagraph (A) of section 36B(c)(1) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking
``but does not exceed 400 percent''.
(b) Applicable Percentages.--
(1) In general.--Subparagraph (A) of section 36B(b)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read as
follows:
``(A) Applicable percentage.--The applicable percentage for
any taxable year shall be the percentage such that the
applicable percentage for any taxpayer whose household income
is within an income tier specified in the following table
shall increase, on a sliding scale in a linear manner, from
the initial premium percentage to the final premium
percentage specified in such table for such income tier:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The initial The final
``In the case of household income (expressed premium premium
as a percent of poverty line) within the percentage percentage
following income tier: is-- is--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Up to 150 percent............................. 0 0
150 percent up to 200 percent................. 0 2.0
200 percent up to 250 percent................. 2.0 4.0
250 percent up to 300 percent................. 4.0 6.0
300 percent up to 400 percent................. 6.0 8.5
[[Page S1396]]
400 percent and higher........................ 8.5 8.5.''.
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(2) Conforming amendments relating to affordability of
coverage.--
(A) Paragraph (1) of section 36B(c) of such Code is amended
by striking subparagraph (E).
(B) Subparagraph (C) of section 36B(c)(2) of such Code is
amended by striking clause (iv).
(C) Paragraph (4) of section 36B(c) of such Code is amended
by striking subparagraph (F).
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31,
2025.
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