Conservative House Republicans Say They Have Votes to Block Health Bill -- Update --
21 March 2017 - 3:50PM
Dow Jones News
By Kristina Peterson, Natalie Andrews and Stephanie Armour
WASHINGTON -- Conservative House Republicans said Monday night
that they have enough votes to block the GOP's legislation to
dismantle the Affordable Care Act, as House leaders proposed
changes to the bill in a late effort to draw support.
Rep. Mark Meadows (R., N.C.), chairman of the House Freedom
Caucus, a group of conservative lawmakers, said more than 21
members opposed the bill, enough to block passage should House
leaders hold the vote as expected on Thursday and all Democrats
hold firm in opposing the legislation.
Mr. Meadows spoke after a meeting of House Freedom Caucus, which
has 30 to 40 members. By sticking together, the group could force
House leaders to alter the bill further to suit conservatives who
believe it doesn't go far enough to repeal elements of the
Affordable Care Act.
Mr. Meadow's vote count couldn't be verified, but additions to
the bill unveiled by House leaders on Monday suggested that they
were still working to round up votes to ensure passage.
President Donald Trump prepared to intensify his lobbying
effort, with an appearance scheduled for Tuesday morning at the
weekly, closed-door meeting of House Republicans. It will be Mr.
Trump's first huddle with all House Republicans since his
inauguration.
"That's going to be a lot of pressure," said Rep. Raul Labrador
(R., Idaho), a member of the conservative group.
"We've spent the last week and weekend listening to our
colleagues both from the House and the Senate about ways we can
improve this legislation, " said House Ways and Means Committee
Chairman Kevin Brady (R., Texas).
The bill repeals much of the 2010 health care law and replaces
it with tax credits aimed at helping people afford insurance. House
Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) and other GOP leaders have said they
are confident of passage.
The changes to the bill unveiled Monday evening included
concessions won by lawmakers who belong to Republican Study
Committee, a second and larger group of conservative House members.
Some of those lawmakers had met Friday with Mr. Trump at the White
House.
To answer their concerns, the bill will be tweaked to permit
states to impose a work requirement on Medicaid beneficiaries. The
legislation will also be changed to give states more options in how
they receive federal Medicaid funding, which also would be
curtailed under the House GOP plan.
GOP leaders said the bill would repeal some ACA taxes
retroactively to the start of this year, rather than in 2018, as
they originally proposed.
To appease a widespread concern among House Republicans, GOP
leaders also identified new funding they said they would allow the
Senate to offer more generous tax credits to help older Americans,
those between the ages of 50 and 65, buy health insurance in the
years before the qualify for Medicare. Under the current bill, the
tax credits start at $2,000 for those under age 30 and increase up
to $4,000 for those 60 and older.
GOP leaders also included a measure sought by New York
Republicans intended to stop New York state from raising Medicaid
funding through county taxes. Rep. Chris Collins (R., N.Y.) said
that change would help win over GOP members of his state's
delegation.
The changes weren't enough to satisfy some conservatives, who
see the system of tax credits as a new federal benefit.
"Based on what I've been told is in the manager's amendment, and
what I've been told tonight, I don't know that it moves anybody or
makes a compelling case from where their previous positions were,"
Mr. Meadows said.
Mr. Labrador pinned the problems with the bill on House leaders.
"The White House has been open to negotiations. It's the House
leadership that's closed to negotiations," he said.
Mr. Ryan, in a statement, said the changes announced Monday
would "accelerate tax relief, give states additional options to
spend health care dollars how they choose...and ensure there are
necessary resources to help older Americans and the disabled."
GOP Reps. Martha McSally of Arizona, Tom McClintock of
California, Thomas MacArthur of New Jersey and Robert Aderholt of
Alabama said they would support the bill after leaders unveiled the
proposed changes.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is expected to
release an updated projection before Thursday's vote on its budget
impact and effect on the number of people with insurance, Mr. Brady
said. The office last week estimated that the bill would cause 24
million fewer people to be insured over a decade compared with the
ACA.
Write to Kristina Peterson at kristina.peterson@wsj.com, Natalie
Andrews at Natalie.Andrews@wsj.com and Stephanie Armour at
stephanie.armour@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 21, 2017 00:35 ET (04:35 GMT)
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