Senate Democrats seek new allies in effort to scuttle Obamacare overhaul: Republican governors

[DonViejo]

By Juliet Eilperin, Sean Sullivan and Ed O'Keefe July 10 at 10:22 PM

Senate Democrats have identified potential new allies in their effort to scuttle the current health-care proposal: Republican governors, particularly those who helped expand Medicaid in their states under the Affordable Care Act.

Sen. Thomas R. Carper (Del.), who is leading the effort with the support of fellow Democrats, called “a couple dozen” senators and governors from both parties over the recess, he said in an interview, to say “this is a good time for us to hit the pause button in the Senate, and step back and have some good heart-to-heart conversations” about how to revise the 2010 law.

Carper said the fact that the National Governors Association is holding its summer meeting in Providence, R.I., later this week could give governors a chance to weigh in on the debate.

The development shows Democrats moving beyond rhetorical calls for bipartisanship to insert themselves into a legislative process that Republicans have dominated. It also reflects continuing divisions within the GOP, with Republican governors emerging as potential allies for Democrats and others who oppose the current GOP proposal.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/senate-republicans-plan-to-introduce-a-new-health-bill-this-week-vote-next-week/2017/07/10/9c897996-658f-11e7-8eb5-cbccc2e7bfbf_story.html

[riversedge]

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