Republican Senators Planting Seeds Of Doubt On Repeal And Replace Prospects

The Hill: Senate Returns More Pessimistic Than Ever On Healthcare 
Senators went into a recess skeptical over whether they could agree to legislation repealing and replacing ObamaCare. They will return on Monday more doubtful than ever. Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), one of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) most loyal allies, said Thursday it’s “unlikely” the GOP will get a healthcare deal. (Bolton, 6/5)

Roll Call: Republicans Return From Recess Under Health Care Time Crunch
Republican senators return on Monday from a 10-day recess with immediate decisions to make on their quest to overhaul the 2010 health care law. ... Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas said in an interview with a local radio station last month that work on the effort would be done in the chamber by “July at the latest.” That aligns with the view of several GOP aides who say a vote on a bill would likely occur before the August recess, regardless of whether there are enough votes to pass it. Addressing the legislation in that time frame would allow the Senate to return from the August break and immediately tackle a number of impending deadlines. Aside from the Republicans’ ambitious legislative agenda, which includes an overhaul of the U.S. tax code, Congress must also soon turn to funding the government through fiscal 2018 and addressing the approaching debt ceiling deadline, among other funding cliffs. (Williams, 6/5)

The Washington Post: At Home, GOP Senators Voice Skepticism About Passing A Health-Care Bill
A pair of Republican senators voiced considerable skepticism this week about the prospect of passing a bill to revamp the nation’s health-care laws in the coming months, injecting fresh uncertainty into the GOP effort to fulfill a signature campaign promise. Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) sounded a deeply pessimistic note when he told a local television station he believes it’s “unlikely that we will get a health-care deal.” Earlier in the week, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said he doubted a bill could pass before the August recess. (Sullivan, 6/2)

Politico: GOP Senators Offer Downbeat Predictions On Obamacare Repeal
Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) made the most direct prediction on Thursday, telling a news station in his home state that “I don’t see a comprehensive health care plan this year.” Earlier in the week, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) suggested to home-state reporters that lawmakers might shift to a shorter-term plan that would keep insurance markets working, on the heels of negative comments from Iowa GOP Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst. (Schor and Conway, 6/2)

The Hill: Pence Presses Congress To Pass Healthcare By End Of Summer 
Vice President Pence urged lawmakers on Saturday to pass a healthcare reform measure by the end of summer. Pence arrived at Sen. Joni Ernst's (R-Iowa) "Roast and Ride" fundraiser in Boone, Iowa riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle before taking the stage and launching into a campaign-style speech reaffirming President Trump's key promises. "Iowa is facing a healthcare crisis under ObamaCare and it's high time we take action," Pence told a crowd at the Central Iowa Expo, about 40 miles north of Des Moines. (Greenwood, 6/3)

Politico: Insurance Companies Duck Obamacare Repeal Fight
The once-powerful health insurance lobby — the same one that killed Hillarycare a generation ago and helped usher in Obamacare — can't pick a side in the latest battle over America's health care system. Some major members of the sprawling trillion-dollar industry, like Humana and Cigna, have little at stake in the fight. Other insurers heavily invested in the Obamacare markets, like the regional Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, are urging Congress to fix the 2010 health law instead of shredding it. And then there’s Anthem, a rare industry voice supporting repeal. (Demko, 6/3)