Lawmakers are pushing for billions in new funding for biomedical research, but sparring over health insurance and almost everything else related to the Affordable Care Act.
House of Representatives
Republican moderate Susan Collins undecided on final tax cut vote
- Maine senator who helped sink healthcare repeal voted for Senate tax bill
- Insists ‘4% cut in Medicare that could go into effect will not go into effect’
The Republican Susan Collins, whose support was crucial in passing the Senate tax reform bill earlier this month, said on Sunday she has not yet decided if she will back the final measure negotiated by House and Senate leaders.
The Maine moderate has laid out conditions for her support of a final “conference committee” version of the tax proposal. They include assurances that Medicare payments will not be cut and that Republicans will support two healthcare bills aimed at reducing premium costs.
Continue reading...
Not Giving Up, Trump Insists He Has Votes to Repeal Obamacare
In an exchange with reporters, President Trump said on Wednesday that he has the votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act but that he will first negotiate a deal with Democrats.
Republicans back ‘skinny repeal’ after guarantee it will not become law
Sceptical senators Lindsey Graham and Ron Johnson agree to vote for repeal on condition that it will trigger a congressional conference committee
Senate Republican leaders have unveiled their so-called “skinny repeal” bill – denounced by conservatives as a “fraud” and a “disaster” – in an eleventh-hour push to pass a pared-down repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
Related: Republican quartet will only vote for skinny repeal if assured it won't become law – live
Continue re...
‘Female senators’ to blame for health bill struggle, says Republican congressman
Blake Farenthold of Texas appears to suggest that if those senators were male, he might challenge them to a duel ‘Aaron Burr-style’
A Republican lawmaker has blamed “female senators” for his party’s failure thus far to repeal and replace Barack Obama’s healthcare law, noting that if they were men he would challenge them to a duel.
Blake Farenthold, a congressman from Texas, singled out the women as the US Senate prepares to vote on Tuesday on whether to move forward with legislation that would dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Continue reading...
The Republican healthcare plan has a formidable foe: economics | Joe McLean
The Republicans can’t craft a workable plan on healthcare because they ignore at least four immutable economic principles
Having sworn for six years to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act, Senate Republicans, unable to pass a plan before their summer recess, recently got their first taste of how the folks at home feel about it. While many ducked those messy town-hall meetings, they couldn’t avoid hearing the angry voices during Fourth of July parades, picnics and fireworks. ...