Key Republicans reject GOP healthcare bill

In a joint statement, four Republican senators announced Thursday they cannot support the GOP’s new healthcare bill, jeopardizing its path forward. Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas, and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, claim the plan, written by their party’s leaders, doesn’t go far enough to repeal Obamacare and lower healthcare costs. “Currently, for a variety of reasons, we are not ready to vote for this bill, but we are open to negotiation and obtaining more information before it is brought to the floor,” they wrote. “There are provisions in this draft that represent an improvement to our current health care system, but it does not appear this draft as written will accomplish the most important promise that we made to Americans: to repeal Obamacare and lower their healthcare costs.” Republicans hold a 52-48 majority in the Senate, which means the bill can only pass if two or fewer senators defect—assuming Vice President Mike Pence breaks the tie. Together, these four senators can scuttle the vote, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., plans to schedule before the end of next week.

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