The Republican Party is subpoenaing documents related to Obamacare payments that they say break the law, according to The Hill.
Here are five takeaways:
1. At issue are Obamacare payments known as "cost-sharing reductions," which help lower out-of-pocket costs like deductibles for low-income people enrolled in plans under the healthcare law. They are in addition to Obamacare's better known premium tax credits, which also help make insurance more affordable.
2. Republicans argue the administration is illegally paying out the cost-sharing reductions despite the lack of an appropriation from Congress. The administration says it does not need a yearly appropriation because Obamacare already permanently appropriated the funds under the same section that provides for the tax credits.
3. Two House committees issued the subpoenas on Wednesday, saying the administration has refused to comply with document requests for over a year. The administration counters that the matter is part of an ongoing lawsuit.
4. The subpoena calls for producing "all documents and communications" related to the source of funding for the cost-sharing reductions. Another subpoena is for a memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget related to the payments.
5. The subpoenas call for the documents to be produced by May 18.