GOP health victory may be fleeting as Senate awaits
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans wasted no time Friday showing they have little use for the House bill to repeal and replace Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act amid fears among Americans that people already sick won’t be able to get affordable insurance.
“At this point, there seem to be more questions than answers about its consequences,” said moderate GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, whose vote may prove one of the hardest to get for President Donald Trump and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
“I don’t support the House bill as currently constructed,” said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio. “I continue to have concerns that this bill does not do enough to protect Ohio’s Medicaid expansion population.”
And Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said over Twitter: “A bill — finalized yesterday, has not been scored, amendments not allowed, and 3 hours final debate — should be viewed with caution.”
The outspoken and immediate skepticism pointed to a long road ahead in the Senate. And for a president who’s already expressed disappointment in Congress’ slow-moving ways, more frustration seemed assured.
“I don’t think anyone in the Senate is going to be bullied into artificial benchmarks or timelines,” said Josh Holmes, a GOP consultant and former chief of staff to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “It will be a very different process that will look very different from the one that we just saw unfolding in the House.”
McConnell plans to move forward under special procedures that allow legislation to pass with a simple majority vote, instead of the 60 usually required for major bills in the Senate. That means he will only need Republican votes.