U.S. health-care vote delayed until after July 4

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to repeal and replace Obamacare is now in the hands of a key group of GOP senators who are opposing — or not yet supporting — legislation Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is pushing.

These lawmakers range from moderate to conservative Republicans, and include senators who were just re-elected and a couple facing tough re-election fights. Their concerns about the legislation vary along with their ideology, from those who say it’s overly punitive in ejecting people from the insurance rolls, to others who say it doesn’t go far enough in dismantling former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. Satisfying one group risks alienating another.

Lacking the votes, McConnell abruptly delayed the vote until after Congress’ July 4 recess. Trump was meeting at the White House with Republican senators after he spent part of the weekend phoning senators who supported his candidacy — Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky.

At stake is legislation that would affect health care for millions of Americans, while allowing Trump and GOP leaders to boast of fulfilling a campaign promise seven years in the making.

McConnell has scant margin for error and can afford to lose only two Republicans from his 52-member caucus.

Conservative senators Cruz, Paul, Johnson and Sen. Mike Lee of Utah jointly announced their opposition to the legislation last Thursday.

Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada, who’s up for re-election next year in a state Hillary Clinton won, came out hard against the legislation.