Trump, GOP leaders lean on California Republicans to pass health bill
WASHINGTON — President Trump and House GOP leaders leaned hard Wednesday on undecided Republicans, including vulnerable Californians in swing districts, in a last-ditch effort to pass their proposed repeal of the Affordable Care Act this week.
By late in the day, Republican leaders expressed confidence they had the support they needed to repeal former President Barack Obama’s signature legislative victory, and said the House would vote Thursday.
“Do we have the votes? Yes. Will we pass it? Yes,” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield told reporters.
Members said Trump was making calls to wavering center-right Republicans, holding long chats that included thinly veiled threats that he would support potential primary challengers if they don’t vote for the bill and send it to the Senate.
The House’s failure to pass an earlier version of the repeal-and-replace measure was one of the biggest defeats for Trump in his first 100 days in office. The new version, crafted to win over far-right conservatives who see little or no role for government in the health care market, would allow states to apply for waivers from Affordable Care Act requirements that insurers offer coverage to everyone in an age group at the same price, regardless of whether they have pre-existing health conditions. Such states would have to set up “high-risk pools” to help people with pre-existing conditions pay for coverage.
http://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Trump-GOP-leaders-lean-on-state-Republicans-to-11119513.php
= new reply since forum marked as read
Where is my pitchfork?
