Trump May Have Pulled An About-Face On Health Law, But Renewed Attention Puts Issue In Front Of Mind For Voters
After talking with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, President Donald Trump took health care replacement off the table until after the 2020 elections. But the president's spotlight on the issue, which many Democrats view as a winning one for them, makes it likely that it will crop up as a main talking point on the campaign trail. Meanwhile, Trump beseeches Republicans to own the topic of health care and "take it away" from the Democrats.
The New York Times:
Trump Retreats On Health Care After McConnell Warns It Won’t Happen
President Trump backed off plans to introduce a Republican replacement for the Affordable Care Act after Senator Mitch McConnell privately warned him that the Senate would not revisit health care in a comprehensive way before the November 2020 elections. Reversing himself in the face of Republican consternation, Mr. Trump said his party would not produce a health care plan of its own, as he had promised, until after the elections, meaning he will only try to fulfill his first-term promise to repeal and replace his predecessor’s signature program if he wins a second term. (Pear and Haberman, 4/2)
The Associated Press:
'Obamacare' Repeal Off The Table For GOP Until After 2020
"Not any longer." And with that, a triumphant Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to close the book Tuesday on a divisive Republican debate, convincing President Donald Trump to shelve plans to replace the Affordable Care Act until after the 2020 election. "I made it clear to him that we were not going to be doing that in the Senate," McConnell told reporters. (Mascaro and Lucey, 4/3)
The Hill:
McConnell To Trump: We're Not Repealing And Replacing ObamaCare
“We had a good conversation yesterday afternoon and I pointed out to him the Senate Republicans’ view on dealing with comprehensive health care reform with a Democratic House of Representatives,” McConnell told reporters Tuesday, describing his conversation with Trump. (Bolton, 4/2)
The Washington Post:
Trump Leaves Washington Reeling With Policy Whiplash As He Struggles With Domestic Agenda
The battles illustrate the difficulties Trump and Republicans have had in adjusting to Democratic control of the House after two years of uncontested GOP power in Congress and the White House. But many Republicans say they have adapted to the pandemonium — learning to privately sway Trump by warning him of the consequences of his policy declarations, many of which are launched in late-night or early-morning tweets. GOP lawmakers, for instance, think they have successfully headed off any major health-care effort, which they fear would open them up to damaging Democratic attacks. Even so, a legal challenge targeting the Obama-era health law, and backed by the Trump administration, virtually ensures that the issue will remain at the forefront of the president’s reelection campaign. (Kim and Werner, 4/2)
The Wall Street Journal:
GOP Puts Off Unveiling New Health Plan Until After 2020 Election
Heading into the campaign season, the GOP is now on track to pursue targeted measures aimed at lowering drug prices and out-of-pocket costs, as well as attacking such ideas as Medicare for All. Democrats are focused on driving down costs and defending the ACA against GOP-led legal attacks, with some in the party floating broader health-care proposals such as a government-run health system. (Armour and Peterson, 4/2)
The Associated Press:
Trump Tells Republicans To Embrace Health Care In 2020 Race
President Donald Trump told House Republicans on Tuesday that they need to embrace health care reform and make it the first thing they vote on following the 2020 election. Speaking at an annual fundraiser for the National Republican Congressional Committee, Trump told GOP lawmakers and supporters they have the advantage on a variety of issues, but conceded that Democrats have the advantage on health care. "We have to take that away from them," Trump said. (4/2)
Bloomberg:
Trump Says GOP `Blew It' On Health Care And Must Run On New Plan
President Donald Trump said Republicans “blew it” on health care and will lose the 2020 election if they don’t devise a plan to repeal Obamacare that protects coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. “We blew it the last time, man I was fed a bill of goods,” Trump said Tuesday in a speech at the National Republican Congressional Committee’s annual spring dinner. “We can’t run away” from health care, he added, saying that if the party doesn’t address the issue: “we’ll lose.” (Sebenius, 4/2)
The Associated Press:
Pivoting On Pledges, Trump Explores Art Of The Climb-Down
His border shutdown went from imminent to uncertain. A major health-care push was declared and then delayed. Funding cuts were inserted in his proposed budget and just as quickly taken out. President Donald Trump has been exploring the art of the climb-down. Trump pivoted on two big policy fronts this week, easing up on his threats to quickly close the southern border and deciding that a fresh effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act should wait until after the 2020 election. (4/3)
In related news —
ProPublica:
Trump, All About Winning, Sees Losses In Court Pile Up
The drumbeat of defeats grew hard to ignore. A federal judge struck down the Donald Trump administration’s plan to require some people to work for their Medicaid benefits. Another judge halted Trump’s plan to open Arctic waters to drilling. Yet another ordered an end to what critics said was the administration’s efforts to encourage an end run around the Affordable Care Act. All in the span of about a week. (Sexton, 4/2)
The Hill:
Judge Allows Wisconsin To Withdraw From Two Lawsuits Against ObamaCare
A federal court has allowed Wisconsin's Democratic attorney general to withdraw the state from a pair of lawsuits challenging the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare. Josh Kaul's office announced Tuesday that the U.S. District Court in Northern Texas granted Kaul's request to remove Wisconsin from two lawsuits the state is involved that challenge the health care law, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. (Burke, 4/2)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Judge Lets Wisconsin Out Of 2 Obamacare Lawsuits In Victory For Evers
A federal judge let Wisconsin drop out of two lawsuits over Obamacare Tuesday, putting Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on a path to fulfilling a campaign promise that Republican lawmakers have blocked. Wisconsin remains a party to an appeal of one of the decisions. Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul has asked to get out of the appeal, but the court has not ruled on his request yet. (Marley and Beck, 4/2)
Tampa Bay Times:
In Health Care Fight, Trump Puts National Spotlight On Rick Scott — And His Medicare Fraud Scandal
President Donald Trump thrust Sen. Rick Scott into the center of his renewed effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act by suggesting the Florida Republican would help craft the GOP’s long-awaited replacement plan. (Contorno, 4/3)
The Hill:
Democrats Rally At Supreme Court Ahead Of ObamaCare Vote
House and Senate Democrats rallied on the steps of the Supreme Court Tuesday ahead of a vote on a resolution asking the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reverse its decision to side with a lower court ruling ObamaCare unconstitutional. The symbolic resolution will likely pass the Democratic-controlled House Wednesday, but it won't get a vote in the Senate, where Republicans are in the majority. (Hellmann, 4/2)
CQ:
House To Vote On Resolution Blasting Trump's Health Care Steps
The House on Wednesday plans to vote on a largely symbolic resolution condemning the Trump administration for calling on the courts to overturn the 2010 health care law, escalating a messaging war that seems poised to continue through the 2020 elections. The vote is the Democrats’ latest rebuke of the Trump administration’s stance on the lawsuit brought by Texas and other conservative state attorneys general to overturn the health care law (PL 111-148, PL 111-152). The House became a party to the law’s defense earlier this year. (McIntire, 4/3)
