Once A Long Shot, Now Last-Ditch Repeal Effort Is Gaining Traction On Hill
The measure from Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) includes deeper spending cuts and covers fewer people than the bill in July.
The New York Times:
Obamacare Repeal, Thought Dead In July, May Be Revived In Senate
Congressional efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act sprang back to life on Monday as Senate Republicans pushed for a showdown vote on new legislation that would do away with many of the health law’s requirements and bundle its funding into giant block grants to the states. (Pear and Kaplan, 9/18)
The Associated Press:
Senate GOP Musters Final Push To Erase Obama Health Care Law
Senate Republicans expressed growing hope Monday for a final push to scuttle President Barack Obama's health care law, an effort that still faces an uphill climb and just a two-week window to pass. Adding more risk, senators would be in the dark about the bill's impact on Americans, since the Congressional Budget Office says crucial estimates won't be ready in time for a vote. (Fram, 9/18)
Reuters:
Democrats Urge Full Review Before Senate Vote On Obamacare Attack
Worried Democrats seized on the statement to urge Republicans to wait for a full CBO score before holding a vote. "Have the courage and decency to wait for a CBO score," Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor on Monday. (Cornwell, 9/18)
Politico:
Obamacare Repeal Plan Won’t Get Full CBO Analysis By Key Deadline
[W]ithout a CBO report, Senate Republicans may be spared damaging headlines if CBO found the bill could cause millions more to be uninsured or fuel significantly higher costs for older enrollees. (Caygle, 9/18)
The Washington Post:
The New GOP Health-Care Measure Goes Further Than The Failed One
The latest Obamacare overhaul bill gaining steam on Capitol Hill slashes health-care spending more deeply and would likely cover fewer people than a July bill that failed precisely because of such concerns. What’s different now is the sense of urgency senators are bringing to their effort to roll back the Affordable Care Act, with only a dozen days remaining before the legislative vehicle they’re using expires. (Winfield Cunningham, 9/18)
The Washington Post:
New Push To Replace Obamacare Reflects High Stakes For Republicans
The latest proposal would give states control over billions in federal health-care spending, repeal the law’s key mandates and enact deep cuts to Medicaid, the federally funded insurance program for the poor, elderly and disabled. It would slash health-care spending more deeply and would probably cover fewer people than the July bill — which failed because of concerns over those details. The appearance of a new measure reflected just how damaging Republicans consider their inability to make good on a key campaign promise of the past seven years: to repeal and replace President Barack Obama’s signature domestic policy achievement. (Sullivan and Snell, 9/18)
Politico:
Momentum Builds For Obamacare Repeal
Three “no” votes would kill the bill, but in an encouraging sign for repeal proponents, no one is stepping forward yet to deliver that final nail. Instead, wavering senators remain on the sidelines. Conservative Sen. Mike Lee of Utah is warming to the legislation, which would turn federal health care funding into block grants for states and eliminate Obamacare’s coverage mandate, while Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski is undecided. (Everett and Haberkorn, 9/18)
The Hill:
Graham: Trump Trying To Sell Governors On Latest ObamaCare Repeal Plan
President Trump is calling governors to try to get their support for a last-ditch ObamaCare repeal effort taking place in the Senate, says Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). "He’s on the phone as I speak getting governors who are a little nervous about this, saying we’re not going to let you fail, we’re going to give you the flexibility over time and we’re going to empower you unlike anything you’ve ever seen," Graham told Breitbart News over the weekend. (Hellmann, 9/18)
Politico:
Dems Rush Back To Obamacare Battle
Democrats hustled Monday to beat back the GOP’s latest Obama-care repeal push, leaning on moderate Republicans and mobilizing advocacy groups off the Hill to sound the alarm. The flurry of pressure tactics from Democrats comes as a new repeal bill remains very much alive among Senate Republicans, who have until Sept. 30 to ax former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law with a simple majority vote. (Schor, 9/18)
The Wall Street Journal:
Senate’s Three Health-Care Proposals: A Guide
Since the Republican effort to repeal and replace most of the Affordable Care Act faltered in July, three major efforts have emerged in the Senate as lawmakers seek a path forward. They include a final effort to repeal the ACA; an attempt to find a compromise that would shore up the insurance markets; and a push for a new government-run system. All of them face big political hurdles. Here are some key details of the three proposals. (Hackman, 9/19)
The Washington Post:
Would The House Pass Graham-Cassidy? It’s Not A Slam Dunk.
As Senate Republicans work feverishly to try to revive plans to replace parts of the Affordable Care Act ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline, it’s easy to forget: There’s another chamber in Congress, and it is not a potted plant. One might assume that the House, which already passed a GOP health-care bill in May, would simply rubber-stamp any Senate bill, high-five, and call it a day, but things are not quite so simple. The American Health Care Act (AHCA) passed the House 217-to-213, meaning two flipped decisions would have stopped the bill cold. (DeBonis, 9/18)