GOP revises sinking healthcare bill

WASHINGTON—Republican leaders tweaked their healthcare proposal Sunday in an attempt to gain several last-minute votes. Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., introduced new legislation earlier this month to revive the effort to repeal and replace Obamacare. Republicans have until Saturday to pass a healthcare package in the Senate with only a simple majority. After that, it will take 60 votes to approve such a bill. The revised legislation steers additional federal funding to Alaska, Arizona, and Kentucky, the home states of three GOP senators who could stand in the way of the bill’s passage: Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Rand Paul of Kentucky, who vowed to vote against the Graham-Cassidy bill, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who remains undecided. Republicans can afford to lose only two votes from their ranks and still pass the proposal. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Sunday he doesn’t support the current bill either, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, also remains undecided. She told reporters she’s still reviewing the bill but finds it “difficult to envision” a scenario in which she will vote yes. President Donald Trump appealed to doubting Republicans on Twitter. “Alaska, Arizona, Maine, and Kentucky are big winners in the healthcare proposal,” the president tweeted Sunday. “7 years of Repeal & Replace and some Senators not there.”