Few Republicans Have Appetite To Risk Another Repeal Failure In Election Year
“We sort of tested the limits of what we can do in the Senate last year. And we’re one vote down from where we were then," said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the No. 3 GOP leader.
Politico:
Republicans Give Up On Obamacare Repeal
Republicans are giving up on their years-long dream of repealing Obamacare. Though the GOP still controls both chambers of Congress and maintains the ability to jam through a repeal-and-replace bill via a simple majority, there are no discussions of doing so here at House and Senate Republicans’ joint retreat at The Greenbrier resort. Republicans doubt they can even pass a budget providing for the powerful party-line “reconciliation” procedure used to pass tax reform last year, much less take on the politically perilous task of rewriting health care laws in an election year. (Everett, 2/1)
In other news from Capitol Hill —
The Hill:
Bipartisan Group Of Senators Call On Trump To Boost Alzheimer's Funding
A bipartisan group of senators is calling on President Trump to boost funding for Alzheimer’s research in his fiscal 2019 budget set to be released this month. “At a time when the United States is spending more than $200 billion a year to care for Alzheimer’s patients, we are spending less than two thirds of one percent of that amount on research,” the letter — led by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and signed by a dozen others — states. (Roubein, 2/1)
And community health centers are struggling as Congress sits on funding —
Georgia Health News:
Georgia Health Centers Frustrated, Anxious Over Funding Impasse
While Washington recently passed a six-year renewal of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the health centers are getting month-to-month allotments, waiting for a long-term fix. The centers’ longer-term funding expired at the end of September. (Miller, 2/1)
The CT Mirror:
Community Health Centers, Facing Fund Cutoff, Get Short Reprieve
Despite congressional inaction, the federal agency that oversees community health centers has sent money to some centers in Connecticut and committed this week to send funding to more, giving them a temporary reprieve from potential layoffs and cuts to services. Like the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), despite bipartisan support, Congress missed its Sept. 30 deadline to reauthorize money for the Community Health Center Fund, which represents the largest chunk of federal grant money going to the centers. (Rigg, 2/2)
