Trump urges GOP senators to cancel recess, work on repealing ObamaCare
US President Donald Trump tells Republican senators to cancel their recess in August and continue working until they can effectively repeal ObamaCare.
Trump and the GOPers had lunch at the White House Wednesday, following a second failure to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law, known as ObamaCare.
"We shouldn't leave town until this is complete," said the president. "We should hammer this out and get it done."
Just repealing the law is not enough, Trump noted, asserting that new legislation should follow up.
'No replacement'
Trump made the comments a day after the party’s effort to repeal and replace Obamacare failed for a second time despite control over both chambers of the Congress as well as the White House.
"We can repeal, but we should repeal and replace,” Trump said. "Frankly I don’t think we should leave town unless we have a health insurance plan, unless we can give people great health care… Because we’re close. We’re very close.’’
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has previously cut back the recess by two weeks.
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After the luncheon, McConnell raised the GOP’s hopes by reiterating that the Senate will take a procedural vote next week.
“Next week, we’ll be voting on the motion to proceed, and I have every expectation that we’ll be able to get on the bill," the Kentucky Republican told reporters at the White House.
McConnell is in need of 51 votes to win a motion to proceed to the repeal bill amid advance opposition from several centrist Republicans.
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Trump challenged the lawmakers at the luncheon, urging them to take the opportunity now that Obama has left the office.
“I’ve been here six months,” he said. “I’m ready to act, pen in hand, believe me. I’m sitting in that office. I have pen in hand. You never had that before.”
The effort failed due to lack of support from three Republican lawmakers, namely Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia.
“I said back in January that if we’re going to do a repeal, there has to be a replacement. There’s enough chaos and uncertainty already,” Senator Murkowski argued Tuesday.
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