Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell delayed a vote Tuesday on legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
With strong Republican opposition, McConnell would have not had enough votes to even begin the debate on the bill, according to The New York Times.
“We will not be on the bill this week, but we’re still working toward getting at least 50 people in a comfortable place,” McConnell said.
The push on the bill means the Senate will not consider the bill until after its recess after the Fourth of July.
If Republicans still cannot come to an agreement on the bill, McConnell said they would have to negotiate a deal with Senator Chuck Schumer, of New York, the Democratic leader.
“The status quo is simply unsustainable,” McConnell said. “It’ll be dealt with in one of two ways: Either Republicans will agree and change the status quo, or the markets will continue to collapse, and we’ll have to sit down with Senator Schumer. And my suspicion is that any negotiation with the Democrats would include none of the reforms that we would like to make.”
Republicans have said they will repeal the health care law, but more than a half-dozen in the Senate have said they have reservations about the Senate repeal bill being proposed.
“It’s difficult for me to see how any tinkering is going to satisfy my fundamental and deep concerns about the impact of the bill,” said Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, who was among the lawmakers prepared to vote against the bill this week.
Some Republican Senators are concerned how the bill would affect Medicaid.
Hospitals, doctors and other health care providers have also voiced opposition to the Senate bill, while business groups are instead supporting the bill. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, for example, asked senators to vote in favor of the bill.
Photo: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) walks away after announcing a delay in the health care vote, on Capitol Hill, June 27, 2017 in Washington, DC. The Republican-led Senate could not get enough votes to pass the measure.
Photo courtesy: Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Publication date: June 28, 2017
