Senate Republicans are supposedly one or two votes away from replacing Obamacare with state block grants.
The window of opportunity is closing, however. Senate Republicans must act by the end of the month under the 2017 budget in order to avoid a Dem filibuster.
The Washington Times reported:
“We are thinking that we can get this done by Sept. 30,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Louisiana Republican who co-wrote the bill with Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said Friday.
Republican leadership seemed to greet the bill with a shrug when it was introduced last week, yet Mr. Cassidy said the idea “took off” during a Thursday luncheon that focused on health care.
The senator said his informal whip count stands at “48 or 49” Republican votes — close to the 50-vote threshold needed to pass a bill, using Vice President Mike Pence as a tie-breaker.
The bill would immediately repeal the Obamacare individual mandate that forces people to purchase insurance or pay a fine. The bill also eliminates the rule requiring employers to provide insurance coverage or face stiff penalties.
According to the Washington Times, Sen. Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican, announced Friday that he is staunchly opposed to the bill, lengthening the odds of success as his party continues to struggle with its seven-year promise to scrap the Affordable Care Act.
Cryin’ Chuck Schumer sent out a ‘red alert’ on his Twitter account panicking about the possible replacement of Obamacare:
🚨Red Alert🚨#Trumpcare is back & Senate GOP has until Sept 30 to pass their bill. We need your voices more than ever!
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 15, 2017
Story still developing, TGP will update as more information becomes available.
