Senate GOP reins in expectations for killing Obamacare
Some Republican lawmakers are growing worried about their tight time frame for overhauling health care.
By BURGESS EVERETT 06/12/2017 07:10 PM EDT
Senate Republicans are aggressively trying to rein in expectations for their Obamacare repeal effort, wary of blowing a deadline or falling short of 50 votes on a promise that has driven the GOP's political strategy for much of the past decade.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is still aiming for an Obamacare repeal vote in June, though his lieutenants acknowledge that deadline could slip into July. And while GOP leaders want to hold the vote as soon as possible, Republicans continue to avoid hard deadlines and say factors outside their control could strike.
"It's like having a baby," said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas). "It's not here yet, but it's coming."
The number of outstanding variables is driving the uncertainty. Individual senators continue to raise doubts about coming to an agreement, even though McConnell is telling his members that "failure is not an option." Republicans say they will go as far as they can in repealing Obamacare and making conservative policy, even though they warn the Senate parliamentarian will have final say. And GOP senators said the timing is partially dependent on finding 50 votes and striking once there is consensus, and partially dependent on the Congressional Budget Office quickly writing a score for the bill this month.
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the No. 3 GOP leader, said the June vote time frame is “an aspiration” but not a hard deadline. CBO is expected to take two to three weeks to complete its work on the bill, though Republicans are already exchanging language with the organization.
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http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/12/senate-obamacare-repeal-time-frame-239453
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