Alliances Cropping Up In Senate, Where Almost Every Vote Holds The Power To Destroy A Deal
Leadership can only lose two Republican votes to pass a health care plan through the upper chamber, giving each senator a great deal of bargaining power.
Politico:
52 Ways To Repeal Obamacare
Senate Republicans want to do their own Obamacare repeal plan — but nearly all 52 Republicans have their own ideas about how it should look. With his razor-thin majority, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can afford to lose only two GOP votes. That turns each senator into a de facto powerbroker with the ability to shape — or kill — legislation simply by aligning with two other members. (Haberkorn, 5/11)
The Hill:
GOP On Tightrope With Planned Parenthood
Senate Republicans are treading a narrow path as they seek to defund Planned Parenthood through passage of a healthcare bill. Cutting off federal funds because of the abortion services provided by the organization is a goal of most congressional Republicans and the Trump administration. And with majorities in the House and Senate and control of the White House, the goal seems within reach after years of the party being thwarted by Senate Democrats and former President Barack Obama. (Carney, 5/10)
The Hill:
Senate GOP Defends Writing Its Healthcare Bill In Private
Senate Republicans are defending their decision to write their own ObamaCare replacement bill behind closed doors, bypassing the usual committee process. They say it is unlikely that the bill will go through hearings and markups in committee, though they stress that a working group of lawmakers, as well as the entire Republican caucus, will have heavy input on the bill. (Sullivan, 5/11)
Nashville Tennessean:
Sen. Lamar Alexander: Women Will Have Important Role In Crafting Obamacare Replacement Bill
Sen. Lamar Alexander insisted Wednesday that women will have a seat at the table as Senate Republicans work to craft a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act...A 13-member working group appointed by GOP leaders to piece together a health care bill has sparked fire even from within Republican ranks because none of the senators selected for the panel are women. (Collins, 5/10)
In other news —
The Wall Street Journal:
Health-Care Bill’s Tax Cuts Aren’t A Done Deal
Don’t count on a retroactive tax cut just yet. Republican senators aren’t sold on a piece of the House-passed health-care bill that makes this past Jan. 1 the effective date for tax cuts on capital gains, health-insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies. (Rubin, 5/10)
