GOP healthcare bill dies, McConnell changes course

Two more Republican senators announced opposition to the party’s healthcare bill Monday evening, prompting GOP leaders to abandon the effort. Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., declared in a joint statement they would vote “no” on the motion to proceed on the latest version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act. They joined Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Rand Paul, R-Ky., to upend the GOP’s seven-year vow to topple Obamacare. “Regretfully, it is now apparent that the effort to repeal and immediately replace the failure of Obamacare will not be successful,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. President Donald Trump quickly declared on Twitter Republicans should repeal Obamacare now and begin working to replace the law at a later date. “As I have always said, let Obamacare fail and then come together and do a great healthcare plan. Stay tuned!” Trump tweeted Tuesday morning. Republicans hold only 52 Senate seats, and they would need 60 votes to repeal Obamacare completely. McConnell now wants to bring back a 2015 reconciliation bill Republicans passed but President Barack Obama vetoed. The 2015 bill defunds Obama’s Affordable Care Act but does not remove its regulations. If passed, lawmakers would have two years to pass a healthcare replacement.