Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
McCain's Return For Health Vote Energizes GOP, Provides Tiny Bit Of Breathing Room
The Associated Press: Trump Tweets, McCain Return Set Stage for Health Bill Vote
President Donald Trump urged Republicans to "step up to the plate" for Tuesday's crucial Senate vote on their bill eviscerating much of the Obama health care law. The stage was set for high drama, with Sen. John McCain returning to the Capitol to cast his first vote since being diagnosed with brain cancer. No stranger to heroic episodes, the Navy pilot who persevered through five years of captivity during the Vietnam War announced through his office that he would be back in Washington for the critical roll call on beginning debate on the legislation. (7/25)
The Hill: McCain Returning To Senate In Time For Health Vote
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will return to the Senate on Tuesday after being diagnosed with brain cancer, giving the GOP push to repeal and replace ObamaCare a boost of momentum. “Senator McCain looks forward to returning to the United States Senate tomorrow to continue working on important legislation, including health care reform, the National Defense Authorization Act, and new sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea," McCain's office said on Monday evening. (Carney, 7/24)
The Washington Post: McCain’s Return To Senate Injects Momentum Into GOP Health-Care Battle
McCain, who was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer, could provide a critical vote to open debate on the GOP bill. The senator had been recuperating from surgery and exploring treatment options in Arizona. McCain’s announcement came as some Senate GOP leaders expressed confidence in a newly emerging strategy of trying to pass smaller-scale changes to the Affordable Care Act, with an eye toward continuing negotiations into the fall. (Sullivan, Snell, O'Keefe and Wagner, 7/24)
Politico: McCain To Make Dramatic Return For Obamacare Vote
McConnell spent the day cajoling his members and meeting with Vice President Mike Pence to plot strategy. The majority leader was still short of the votes to even open debate, and Republicans still don't know what they'd be voting to allow debate on if they agree to go along with McConnell on the procedural vote. (Everett, Kim and Haberkorn, 7/24)
The Hill: McConnell To Pin Down Colleagues On Healthcare
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) appears to be blundering into a healthcare vote this week, despite not having a deal on a Senate healthcare bill. Public struggles aside, McConnell actually does have a plan: pin down fellow Republican senators on their seven-year-old promise to repeal ObamaCare. (Bolton, 7/25)
The Wall Street Journal: Trump Urges GOP Senators To Overturn Affordable Care Act
Lawmakers typically vote with party leaders at least to begin debate on legislation, and failure to pass the motion would be a rebuke for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), who has argued that allowing debate to begin would give senators unhappy with the bill a chance to amend it. (Armour, Peterson and Radnofsky, 7/24)
CQ Roll Call: McCain Returns To Capitol For Health Bill, Defense Legislation
It is unclear whether several swing votes on health care, such as GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Dean Heller of Nevada and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, will support the motion to proceed. (Donnelly and Williams, 7/24)
Bloomberg: Ailing John McCain Will Fly To Washington For Health-Care Vote
Vice President Mike Pence will preside over the Senate in case his vote is needed to break a tie, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price told reporters. Trump’s budget office issued a statement urging senators to agree to begin debate. (Litvan and Epstein, 7/24)
Bloomberg: Senate GOP Set To Roll The Dice On Health Vote At Trump’s Urging
Senate Republican leaders and President Donald Trump appear determined to begin a floor debate Tuesday on repealing Obamacare in a highly unorthodox way -- without lawmakers knowing what they’ll be voting on or where it might end up. It’s unclear whether they have the 50 votes needed to begin considering a version of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s replacement bill or a stripped-down bill that would repeal much of Obamacare with a two-year delay. (Litvan and Dennis, 7/25)
Arizona Republic: McCain To Return To Washington For Health-Care Bill Vote
McCain has expressed concern about the way the GOP health plans would affect Arizona’s Medicaid program and turned to Gov. Doug Ducey for help in crafting alternatives. He also has complained about the hurried, closed-door dealing that marked the early versions of the GOP bills. (Hansen, 7/24)
The Atlantic: What John McCain Can Learn From Clair Engle
None of us can choose how we are remembered. Most of us are not remembered at all. Senator John McCain knows that he will be remembered. He faces a choice about how his remarkable career will be noted in its autumnal phase. ... As he makes this decision, he should consider Clair Engle. (Fallows, 7/24)
The Hill: Cornyn Floats Conference Of House, Senate Healthcare Bills
The Senate’s No. 2 Republican said the two chambers might conference their ObamaCare repeal-and-replace bills. “Initially there was some thought that maybe the House would take up the bill that we passed, but that may not be the case,” Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) told reporters Monday. (Roubein, 7/24)
The Hill: Senate Dems Launch Talkathon Ahead Of ObamaCare Repeal Vote
Senate Democrats held a talkathon from the Senate floor on Monday night, ahead of a key hurdle on the GOP effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare. "When the goal is big tax cuts, it's hard to come up with something that actually also improves people's healthcare. The Republican health bills have gone from bad to worse to embarrassing," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). (Carney, 7/24)
