Policies In GOP Health Bill Leaves Divisions Among Representatives, Many State Officials
News outlets around the country report on how their local congressional delegations -- and state officials -- are leaning on the Republican plan to dismantle Obamacare.
Chicago Tribune:
Health Care Vote Delay Leaves Illinois GOP Delegation Uncertain
After House Republicans suffered a setback Thursday in their bid to overhaul health care, some GOP lawmakers from Illinois refused to commit to future revisions of the GOP plan and expressed skepticism about quick action moving forward. ...While saying Obamacare is in a "death spiral," [Rep. Randy] Hultgren said it's important for House and Senate Republicans "get a replacement that works." He said he could not predict "whether that can happen today or tomorrow or over the weekend or next week" and added: "I really feel like it's unknown right now how this ends." (Skiba, 3/23)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
In Tom Price’s Backyard, A Republican Split Over Health Plan
Even in Tom Price’s home turf, there’s a sharp divide over the embattled GOP health plan among the Republicans racing to replace him. Several of the top Republicans in the April 18 special election to succeed Price, Donald Trump’s health secretary, say the plan needs broader changes before they can accept it. Others, including those running as Trump loyalists, say they would vote for it in a flash. (Bluestein, 3/23)
The Wall Street Journal:
House GOP Super PAC Pulls Support From Iowa Congressman Who Opposes GOP Health Bill
The super PAC overseen by House Speaker Paul Ryan and the House GOP leadership is yanking support from a House Republican who pledged to oppose the health-care legislation pushed by President Donald Trump and House GOP leadership. The Congressional Leadership Fund is pulling staff from and closing an office it opened last month in Iowa Rep. David Young’s Des Moines-based district. (Epstein, 3/23)
Texas Tribune:
Gohmert, Weber Among Holdouts As House Postpones Health Bill Vote
The process got somewhat easier on Thursday when two Republicans, U.S. Rep. Joe Barton of Ennis and Michael McCaul of Austin moved into the affirmative column. The Dallas Morning News reported McCaul's change of heart from undecided to yes. "I don't have a comment other than I am glad Donald Trump got elected president so that we have a chance to bring an end to Obamacare," said the fiercest GOP holdout of the delegation, U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert of Tyler. (Livingston, 3/23)
The Philadelphia Inquirer:
Where Philly-Area Representatives Stand On The Health-Care Bill
One local Republican – Rep. Patrick Meehan, whose district mostly covers Delaware County – has yet to decide whether he would support his party's long-promised plan to repeal and replace Obamacare. The stance of another local GOP representative, Ryan Costello of Chester County, remains unclear. Like Meehan, Costello supported the bill in committee but has not committed to voting for the final measure. (Tornoe and Babay, 3/23)
The Baltimore Sun:
Rep. Andy Harris Remains A 'No' On GOP Health Care Bill
Rep. Andy Harris, a Baltimore County Republican and member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that last-minute changes to the Republican plan to replace Obamacare are not yet enough to win his support. Harris, who ran his first campaign for Congress on a vow to repeal the Affordable Care Act, joined about three dozen Republicans who announced opposition to the legislation. Because of that opposition, GOP leaders pulled the measure from a scheduled vote Thursday -- dealing a blow to President Donald Trump. (Fritze, 3/23)
St. Louis Post Dispatch:
One St. Louis-Area Republican's Shuttle Diplomacy In The Health-Care Quicksand Of Repeal And Replace
Rep. Rodney Davis thought he was about to cast a long-anticipated vote to begin repealing and replacing Obamacare on Thursday. Instead, he took another trip to the White House, part of the extraordinary and sometimes confusing shuttle diplomacy that was going on inside the Republican Party on health care reform this week. Davis, R-Taylorville, and Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, are among a small group of Republican vote-counters in the U.S. House on the Republicans' American Health Care Act. They're “whips” in the parlance of what is often called legislative sausage making. (Raasch, 3/24)
The CT Mirror:
As GOP Health Care Plan Falters, CT Dems Watch And Wait
President Donald Trump and House Republicans are making both threats and promises to try to salvage the GOP health care bill – but the deal-making is all on the Republican side of the aisle, with Connecticut’s all-Democratic congressional delegation sitting on the sidelines... While Democrats are not sitting at the negotiating table, that doesn’t mean Connecticut’s lawmakers were idle. (Radelat, 3/23)
The CT Mirror:
CT GOP Legislative Leaders Urge Delay On Obamacare Replacement
The Republican leaders of the Connecticut House and Senate politely distanced themselves Thursday from the push by President Trump and U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan for the immediate passage of an alternative to the Affordable Care Act. In a letter to the president and speaker, Sen. Len Fasano of North Haven and Rep. Themis Klarides of Derby said they shared the national Republican leaders’ concerns about Obamacare, but urged Trump and Ryan to avoid passage of a bill still being digested by state officials and members of Congress. (Pazniokas, 3/23)
Kansas City Star:
Brownback, Greitens Sign Letter In Support Of GOP Health Care Bill
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens have both signed a letter in support of a controversial bill that would repeal the Affordable Care Act. Brownback’s office released the letter after U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan delayed a vote on the American Health Care Act because of a lack of support for the bill. The letter from eight GOP governors thanks Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky for their efforts to repeal the ACA, also known as “Obamacare.” (Lowry, 3/23)
The Associated Press:
Walker: Up To 45K Alaskans Could Lose Coverage With GOP Bill
Gov. Bill Walker says as many as 45,000 Alaskans could lose health care coverage under a Republican bill proposed in the U.S. House. Walker says that includes 30,000 Alaskans covered by the expanded Medicaid program and roughly two-thirds of the Alaskans with individual plans on the federally facilitated insurance marketplace. About 19,000 Alaskans have individual plans. Walker said about 13,000 could lose coverage. (Bohrer, 3/24)
WBUR:
Mass. Democrats Denounce GOP Health Care Bill
Gov. Baker has estimated the state would lose about $1 billion in federal reimbursement, starting in 2020, should the American Health Care Act pass. On Tuesday, Baker said, "I think our hope and our expectation is that the issues that are raised not just by people here in Massachusetts but by people in other states who have similar concerns can help affect the nature of the debate and the discussion." Today also marks the seventh anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. (Bologna, Bruzek and Chakrabarti, 3/23)
