Trump goads GOP to finalize Obamacare fix

President Donald Trump prodded Republicans on Monday to wrap up their healthcare negotiations. “I cannot imagine that Congress would dare to leave Washington without a beautiful new healthcare bill fully approved and ready to go!” Trump tweeted. Lawmakers returned to Washington Monday with three weeks before they depart for their annual August recess. Republican senators went home for the Fourth of July recess unable to coalesce around an Obamacare fix. Both conservatives and moderates want substantial changes to the GOP healthcare legislation. Republicans outnumber Democrats 52-48 in the upper chamber and need 51 votes to pass the measure—leaving little room for error. Some within the Republican conference are beginning to lose hope in the effort. “My view is it’s probably going to be dead,” Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, told CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday. Earlier this month, Sens. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., suggested Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., cancel the August recess so lawmakers can work full time on an Obamacare replacement package. Trump supports the idea, but McConnell still believes he can whip 51 votes before the deadline.