After repeatedly insisting that he was determined to get the Senate’s health care bill to a floor vote this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is reportedly backing down.
As first reported by IJR and confirmed by the AP, CNN, and Fox News, McConnell told his membership that he plans to delay the vote until after the Senate’s July 4 recess.
CNN is reporting that White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and Vice President Mike Pence have invited all Republican Senators to the White House on Tuesday afternoon. McConnell is reportedly looking to make some changes to the bill, and get a new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score.
Six Republican Senators were on record as opposing the bill in its current form, four more than McConnell could afford to lose in order for the legislation to pass. It faced opposition both from hardline conservatives, who believe the proposal costs too much, and moderates, who believe too many people wouldn’t be covered. The CBO report deemed that 22 million more people would lose insurance by 2026, further dooming the bill’s passage.
McConnell and others, such as Texas Senator John Cornyn, have been vocal about wanting to get the bill through quickly, or not at all.
I am closing the door. We need to do it this week before double digit premium increases are announced for next year. https://t.co/Cxi3qAslg3
— JohnCornyn (@JohnCornyn) June 26, 2017
Watch above, via CNN.
[featured image via screengrab]
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