Trump backs Sasse’s ‘Plan B’ on healthcare

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., asked Congress to abandon its healthcare plan Friday, calling for a complete Obamacare repeal now and a replacement law by Labor Day. In a letter to President Donald Trump, Sasse said if the Senate is not ready to agree on a repeal and replace plan by July 10, it should separate the efforts—repeal as much as possible immediately and then work through August on a replacement package. “On the current path, it looks like Republicans will either fail to pass any meaningful bill at all, or will instead pass a bill that attempts to prop up much of the crumbling Obamacare structures,” Sasse wrote. “We can and must do better than either of these.” Sasse’s plan would cancel Congress’ annual August recess to work around the clock exclusively on healthcare. Shortly after Sasse released the letter, Trump responded on Twitter: “If Republican Senators are unable to pass what they are working on now, they should immediately REPEAL, and then REPLACE at a later date!” Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., one of the strongest GOP opponents of the current Republican plan, said he discussed the idea with Trump this week. GOP Congressional leaders have yet to respond to the idea.