Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Scolds Senators, Says No One Should Leave Town Without A Health Plan
The New York Times: Trump Demands That Senators Find A Way To Replace Obamacare
President Trump ordered senators back to the negotiating table on Wednesday for a last-ditch effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, just one day after angrily accepting the measure’s demise and vowing to allow President Barack Obama’s signature domestic achievement to crater. (Davis, Kaplan and Haberkorn, 7/19)
The Associated Press: Trump Exhorts Senate Anew To Rid US Of Obamacare
Lecturing fellow Republicans, President Donald Trump summoned GOP senators to the White House Wednesday and told them face-to-face they must not leave town for their August recess without sending him an "Obamacare" repeal bill to sign. Senators responded by vowing to revive legislative efforts left for dead twice already this week. (Werner and Fram, 7/19)
USA Today: Donald Trump Hosts Republicans For Lunch To Hash Out Health Care Plan
"I don't think we should leave town unless we have a health insurance plan," Trump said during a White House lunch attended by 49 of the 52 Republican senators. "We shouldn't leave town until this is complete, until this bill is on my desk." (Jackson, 7/19)
The Washington Post: Trump Threatens Electoral Consequences For Senators Who Oppose Health Bill
At the lunch, the president also threatened electoral consequences for senators who oppose him, suggesting that Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) could lose his reelection bid next year if he does not back the effort. The president also invited conservative opposition against anyone else who stands in the way.“ Any senator who votes against starting debate is really telling America that you’re fine with Obamacare,” Trump said. (Sullivan, Snell and Nakamura, 7/19)
CQ Roll Call: Senate Continues Health Care Work Amid Trump's Changing Views
“If you have declared war on the ACA and have let everyone know it, how do you convince someone that where it fails, it’s not your fault?” another GOP lobbyist and former congressional aide said. (Clason, 7/19)
The Hill: Trump To GOP Senators: Cancel Your Recess
But the public tongue-lashing from Trump might not be well received by Republican senators, many of whom believe he has failed to master the details of the healthcare proposal and did little to sell it. (Fabian, 7/19)
The Wall Street Journal: Trump Implores GOP Senators To Come Together Over Troubled Health Bill
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said after the White House lunch that a vote on that motion would happen next week, regardless of whether it was expected to pass, and that he had “every expectation” of trying to eke out a bill with majority support after that. “I want to disabuse any of you of the notion that we will not have that vote next week,” Mr. McConnell said. (Radnofsky, Peterson and Armour, 7/19)
Bloomberg: Trump Urges Senate GOP To Delay Recess As Health Talks Revived
John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, said Wednesday, “I think based on the discussions we had today that there’s more optimism that we could vote on a repeal and replace bill, rather than just a repeal bill." He added, "But if there’s not agreement then we’ll still vote on the motion to proceed" to debate the simple repeal measure. (Litvan, Dennis and Pettypiece, 7/19)
Politico: Top Trump Campaign Aides Met With Lee On Health Care
Former Trump campaign aides Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie met with Sen. Mike Lee to talk health care on Tuesday, a source familiar with the conversations confirmed. The two former top Trump campaign officials tried to convince the conservative Utah Republican to reverse course on his opposition to the latest Obamacare replacement bill written by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. (Everett, 7/19)
The New York Times: Inspiring Little Fear In Senators, Trump Struggles To Sell Health Bill
President Trump thought he could sell balky Republican senators like Ron Johnson of Wisconsin on the Senate health care bill through pleasantries, cajoling and, ultimately, some Oval Office muscle. But Mr. Johnson could not be charmed. He could not be outbargained. And he could not be scared into supporting the measure for the sake of a president whose inability to bend fellow Republicans toward his political will has become a liability for his young presidency. (Thrush and Haberman, 7/20)
The New York Times: Trump’s Health Reform Pitch Includes Several Falsehoods
After efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act collapsed, President Trump pressed Republican lawmakers to keep their seven-year promise by demonstrating a sales pitch they could use: point out the flaws of the current law and “sell our plan.” Here’s an assessment. (Qiu, 7/19)
NPR: Fact Check: Trump's Misleading Health Care Remarks To Senate Republicans
President Trump did not do much to sell the Senate health care bill before its failure. But he gave the sale a shot Wednesday in the White House before cameras and a captive audience of nearly all the Republican senators. His comments were at times confusing, and in some cases, outright incorrect. It shows the challenge for a president who doesn't dive deeply into policy to sell his agenda. (Kurtzleben, 7/20)
