Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, and Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana – want a vote this week. Mike Lee, R-Utah, could also be a no vote, according to Politico. Murkowski has yet to comment on the alleged vote-buying scheme and has not yet committed to either supporting or voting against Graham-Cassidy. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell intends to bring the bill to the floor for a vote some time next week.
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Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. already has said he opposes the bill. On Friday he was described as the only confirmed Republican no vote on a proposal by Sens.
“We need to make sure that those last couple Republicans we win over”, Short said during his television appearance.
Block grants is the central idea in the bill, which was recently introduced by Republican Sens. “I call upon Speaker Ryan to now initiate a bipartisan effort in the House to improve and update the Affordable Care Act”, Pelosi said in a statement. Rand Paul of Kentucky in opposition.
“It’s very hard for me to envision a scenario where I would end up voting for this bill”, Collins said. “We ought to proceed down that route and do a series of bills that fixes the current law, which does have a lot of flaws”.
Republicans are pushing for a vote on the bill before the nonpartisan CBO can release its analysis of how much it would cost and how people would be affected.
There is concern that insurers could charge people with pre-existing conditions more for coverage, and that many lower-income people could not afford adequate coverage due to the block grants that would be given to states as they see fit.
Efforts led by the Republican Party to pass changes to Affordable Care Act have failed so far, but they’ve hoped the Graham-Cassidy bill would end that.
She said she also anxious if the “CBO has been given enough time to thoroughly analyze the bill”.
Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., who is chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said on CBS’ Face the Nation that negotiations on the bill are continuing and changes could be made.
Trump also is lashing out at Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski will swing behind the latest bill to undo “Obamacare” to save the bill in the Senate.
It remains to be seen whether Paul will be successful, but it is clear that his vote will be pivotal in determining the future of this major health care reform proposal.
Trump lamented that Republicans still have reservations even though the bill “happens to be particularly good” for their states.
Sen. Susan Collins of ME, a fellow Republican, said on Friday that she was leaning against voting for the bill, and Republican Sen. She said, however, that she does not anticipate any new information coming to light that would alter her view.
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This is the GOP’s last chance to leverage its congressional majority for an efficient Obamacare repeal.
