GOP fails to resuscitate ‘Trumpcare’
President blames opposing Republicans, Dems for failure of 2nd healthcare bill
Republicans in the US Congress were in chaos over healthcare legislation after a second attempt to pass a bill in the Senate collapsed late on Monday, with President Donald Trump calling for an outright repeal of Obamacare and others seeking a change in direction toward bipartisanship.
“Regretfully, it is now apparent that the effort to repeal and immediately replace the failure of Obamacare will not be successful,” senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement.
Two of Mr McConnell’s Senate conservatives announced just hours earlier that they would not support the Republican leader’s latest version of legislation to repeal portions of President Barack Obama’s landmark 2010 healthcare law and replace them with new, less costly healthcare provisions.
With Republican senators Mike Lee and Jerry Moran joining senators Susan Collins and Rand Paul in opposition, and amid a solid wall of opposition from Democrats, Mr McConnell no longer had enough votes to pass a Republican healthcare bill in the 100-member Senate.
It was the latest in a series of healthcare setbacks for Republicans, despite their control of both chambers of Congress and the White House.
The non-partisan Congressional Budget office determined that the various versions of Republican healthcare legislation would result in anywhere from 18 million to 23 million people losing their health insurance.
Mr Trump blamed Democrats and a few holdouts in his own party on Tuesday for the collapse of the latest Republican effort to repeal and replace Obamacare.
The collapse is a stinging blow to Mr Trump and Republicans who have vowed for seven years that they would quickly dump former president Barack Obama’s signature health care reform as soon as they could.
“We were let down by all of the Democrats and a few Republicans. Most Republicans were loyal, terrific & worked really hard. We will return!” Mr Trump tweeted on Tuesday.
“As I have always said, let ObamaCare fail and then come together and do a great healthcare plan. Stay tuned!,” he added.
Actually, Mr Trump has consistently advocated repealing and replacing Obamacare at the same time, rather than doing it in stages, and has said it could be done quickly.
Republicans control 52 of the 100 seats in Senate
Democrats are united against the controversial legislation
Republicans Susan Collins, Rand Paul declared their opposition last week
2 conservatives said they could not support it
Regretfully, it is now apparent that the effort to repeal and immediately replace the failure of Obamacare will not be successful
— Mitch McConnell, Senate majority leader