GOP Senators Balk At Repeal-Only Proposal: ‘There Is Enough Chaos And Uncertainty Already’
Three Republican senators have already said they won't vote for a plan that only repeals the Affordable Care Act without coming up with a replacement. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), wanting the lawmakers on record, says he'll still hold a vote to proceed next week.
The New York Times:
The 3 Republican Women Who Doomed A Senate Repeal Of The Health Law
It was men who started it. It may be women who finished it. The Senate effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, a process that began with 13 Republican men drafting a plan behind closed doors, collapsed Tuesday, as three Republicans said they would not support an ultimately futile attempt to simply roll back the current health care law without a replacement. (Huetteman, 7/18)
The Washington Post:
Senate Republicans’ Effort To ‘Repeal And Replace’ Obamacare All But Collapses
Hours after GOP leaders abandoned a bill to overhaul the law known as Obamacare, their fallback plan — a proposal to repeal major parts of the law without replacing them — quickly collapsed. A trio of moderate Republicans quashed the idea, saying it would irresponsibly snatch insurance coverage from millions of Americans. “I did not come to Washington to hurt people,” tweeted Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), who joined Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) in opposing immediate repeal. (Eilperin, Sullivan and O'Keefe, 7/18)
The Wall Street Journal:
GOP Stares Down Loss On Health-Care Bill
“To just say, ‘Repeal and trust us—we’re going to fix it in a couple years,’ that’s not going to provide comfort to the anxiety that a lot of Alaskan families are feeling right now,” GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska told reporters. “There is enough chaos and uncertainty already.” (Peterson, 7/18)
Bloomberg:
McConnell's New Obamacare Repeal Lacks GOP Votes To Pass
Collins of Maine told reporters that repealing the law now and then hoping for a replacement "would create great anxiety for individuals who rely on the ACA." She said she would oppose bringing a repeal bill up for debate. "I believe it would cause the insurance markets to go into turmoil." (Litvan and Dennis, 7/18)
NPR:
Vote On Obamacare Repeal Planned By McConnell Lacks Support To Pass
Further, Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas tells NPR's Susan Davis, there are probably "five or six" Republicans in total who are against the motion. (Neuman, 7/18)
Politico:
New GOP Plan To Repeal Obamacare Meets Fatal Opposition
But McConnell said Tuesday evening that he would hold a vote to proceed to the bill "early next week," which would put senators on the record even if the vote's outcome was preordained. McConnell said the vote was "at the request of the president and vice president and after consulting with our members." (Kim, Haberkorn and Everett, 7/18)
The Hill:
McConnell: Senate To Try To Repeal ObamaCare Next Week
“For the information of all senators, at the request of the President [Trump] and Vice President [Pence] and after consulting with our members, we will have the vote on the motion to proceed to the ObamaCare repeal bill early next week," McConnell said from the Senate floor on Tuesday night. (Carney, 7/18)
NPR:
Repealing Obamacare Is A Risky Gambit Without A Replacement At Hand
The replacement bill's language is based on the repeal bill that that passed by the House and Senate in 2015 but was vetoed by President Barack Obama. Here's how the repeal would have changed the Affordable Care Act, compared with the House and Senate bills. (Kodjak, Hurt and Grayson, 7/18)
Boston Globe:
What Happens If Obamacare Is Repealed Without A Replacement?
Republicans on Monday abandoned their latest effort to replace the Affordable Care Act, and some — including President Trump — are now considering an attempt to repeal President Obama’s signature health care law without a replacement bill. Any effort to simply repeal Obamacare is likely to be blocked, but what would happen if the landmark 2010 heath care bill was repealed? (Rocheleau, 7/18)
Cleveland Plain Dealer:
Obamacare Repeal Failure Could Be A Blessing In Disguise For Republicans -- Or A Curse
Republicans have long campaigned on repealing the healthcare system put in place by Democrats, but faced immense opposition as popularity for the program rose to more than 50 percent in recent months. Despite the botched attempt, Republican candidates in Ohio might be able to breathe a sigh of relief. (Richardson, 7/19)
A look at where other politicians stand on the issue —
Cleveland Plain Dealer:
Straight Repeal Of Obamacare Appears Dead Now
Ohio Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman was not one of the members responsible for this outcome. Portman indicated that he, too, could have concerns with a straight repeal, and his sentiments appeared to reflect concerns of colleagues. (Koff, 7/18)
New Orleans Times-Picayune:
Bill Cassidy Won't Say Whether He Supports GOP Leadership On Health Care Vote
Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy stopped short of saying he would vote against U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's latest proposal to repeal the Affordable Care Act with no immediate replacement. But Cassidy also wouldn't say he would support McConnell's effort either in an interview Tuesday (July 18). Instead, the Republican senator said he would continue to pursue the health care replacement plan he put together with South Carolina Sen. Lindsay Graham, also a Republican. A few weeks ago, he had been working with Maine Sen. Susan Collins, another Republican, on a health care replacement strategy as well. Neither plan assembled by Cassidy has gained traction with the rest of the Senate. (O'Donoghue, 7/19)
The Baltimore Sun:
Hogan Balks At Repeal-Only Plan, Saying It Would Leave Millions Without Coverage
For months, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has mostly avoided the political storm raging in the nation’s capital, skirting questions about President Donald Trump and the policy changes his new administration has embraced. But on health care, Hogan appears to be finding his voice. For the second time in as many months, the centrist Republican governor who has eschewed national politics weighed in directly about his party’s faltering efforts to repeal Obamacare — arguing Tuesday that the latest push by Senate leaders could leave millions without insurance. (Fritze, 7/18)
Denver Post:
John Hickenlooper Joins Other Governors In Urging Senate Not To Just Repeal Obamacare
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper joined his Republican counterparts Tuesday — including Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval — in urging the U.S. Senate not to repeal Obamacare without a replacement. “Congress should work to make health insurance more affordable by controlling costs and stabilizing the market, and we are pleased to see a growing number of senators stand up for this approach,” Hickenlooper and 10 other governors said in a written statement. “The Senate should immediately reject efforts to ‘repeal’ the current system and replace sometime later.” (Paul, 7/18)
Orlando Sentinel:
Gov. Scott Still Seeking Obamacare Repeal Despite Senate Health Bill Failure
Gov. Rick Scott, whose political career is largely defined by opposition to the Affordable Care Act, still wants Republicans to repeal the federal health care law despite their apparent failure to do so... The statement appears at odds with President Donald Trump’s solution, to “let Obamacare fail,” in light of the Senate GOP’s inability to pass its own health care bill, dubbed the Better Care Reconciliation Act. (Rohrer, 7/18)
