More Republican dissent threatens healthcare bill

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., plans to schedule a vote on the Senate’s Obamacare fix before the end of the week and faces the giant task of appeasing both conservatives and moderates. At least five GOP senators say they refuse to vote for the bill in its current form. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., said over the weekend it’s a “lie” to believe the Senate’s Better Care Reconciliation Act would lower healthcare premiums. Heller, a moderate, joins four Senate conservatives who rejected the bill hours after Republican leaders released a draft Thursday. Republicans can only lose two from within their conference in order to pass a bill, and McConnell now has to whip votes from both sides of the ideological spectrum. Outside of the Senate, four moderate Republican governors criticized the bill, as well. Govs. John Kasich of Ohio, Brian Sandoval of Nevada, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, and Larry Hogan of Maryland all issued separate statements criticizing the policy and the secretive way the bill was written. Additionally, conservative groups such as Heritage Action, Freedom Works, and Americans for Prosperity all criticized the bill for not repealing enough of Obamacare. “I cannot imagine that these very fine Republican Senators would allow the American people to suffer a broken ObamaCare any longer!” President Donald Trump tweeted on Saturday.

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