Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that legislators are looking to move forward on repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act next week.
The Senate has been especially busy in recent weeks with the healthcare issue, as well as the ongoing confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch.
McConnell stated, "We will reach a conclusion on healthcare next week because we're going to Judge Gorsuch the week after that. We'll try to move it across the floor next week."
The healthcare bill introduced by Republicans, known as the American Healthcare Act, has faced opposition not only from Democrats but from many within the Republican party as well.
Rand Paul (R-KY) referred to the healthcare plan as “Obamacare lite” and leaders of the House Freedom Caucus oppose it.
Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), the leader of the Freedom Caucus, said the caucus has the votes to block the American Healthcare Act.
But McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) argue that the new healthcare bill is Republicans' best shot to repeal and replace Obamacare and to fulfill their campaign promise to do so.
The bill also cannot be filibustered due to the special budgetary rules under which it is being considered.
The Hill reports that the Senate is scheduled to take a recess for Easter on April 7 which doesn’t leave a lot of time for finalizing this new legislation.
Photo courtesy: Wikipedia
Publication date: March 22, 2017
