McConnell Reportedly Considering Vote On Graham-Cassidy Repeal Bill

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., left, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. talk about healthcare, Thursday, July 13, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is considering bringing up an Obamacare repeal bill from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) at the end of the month if the legislation earns the backing of 50 senators, according to several reports out Sunday.

Politico was first to report that McConnell told Republicans he would bring the bill to the Senate floor if 50 senators back it. The Washington Post and CNN confirmed that Senate leaders are willing to bring the bill to a vote before the end of the month if it gains enough support.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, began whipping the bill late last week, prompting advocacy groups to warn Obamacare supporters that Republicans could make one last attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The White House will also get involved in the effort to gain enough support to the bill, and President Donald Trump plans to call senators this week, per Politico and CNN.

The legislation does not yet have the backing of 50 senators, however, according to Politico and CNN. It will be hard for Republican leaders to earn the backing of 50 senators, just as they struggled to pass previous attempts. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has already come out against the bill, and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who both voted against past Obamacare repeal measures, may be hard to persuade.

The Congressional Budget Office is also working on a score of the legislation, the Washington Post reported.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. The Congressional Budget Office is also working on a score of the legislation, the Washington Post reported.

    
    Senators are rumored to hope the CBO score will show as many as 30 million people will lose insurance, and those managing to keep coverage will suffer a drastic reduction in the quality of coverage and care. The consensus is that will make it far easier to sell to their constituencies.
  2. This isn’t going to end until the GOP majority in one or both houses is smashed. Even then, there will be court fights for years.

    McConnell and his cronies are a death panel.

  3. “Reportedly considering.” No wiggle room there.

  4. This is really a damned if they do, damned if they don’t situation. They try again and if they don’t get enough, well, they look like fools because they have blabbed about it for, what, going on 8 years by now, and they can’t produce. One more failed try isn’t going to make them look better…

    Of course, it does go through. then they have the problem that they will have to face that they have knocked down something which more American favor repairing, rather than eliminated, and also face what to do about the millions that they uninsure…

    And then turn around and give big tax breaks to the rich after they take away affordable health care from those who need it…?

    Yup. A real winner, no doubt about it.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

10 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for fgs Avatar for old_curmudgeon Avatar for epicurus Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for ralph_vonholst Avatar for sanni Avatar for bankerpup Avatar for lizzymom Avatar for brian512 Avatar for bestlinksus Avatar for hgs1111

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: