House Republican lawmakers are skeptical that their GOP colleagues across the Capitol can pass a healthcare bill this week, and say there are no immediate plans to stick around and rubber stamp the Senate bill, even if they do manage to find the votes. <\/p>\n
House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., did not warn lawmakers in a Tuesday meeting that they might be asked to consider the Senate bill this week, and he did not give any indication whether Republicans would simply approve the Senate version or go to conference, where the two sides would try to cut a compromise deal. <\/p>\n
As of Tuesday, the House is scheduled to leave for a week-long recess on Friday. <\/p>\n
\"They have not even finished their bill, so we haven't made any decisions,\" Ryan said Tuesday after a closed-door meeting with GOP lawmakers. <\/p>\n
Others said it wouldn't be easy for the Senate to simply tack on a few amendments and get the bill across the finish line. <\/p>\n
\"There's a lot more work to be done,\" said Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa. \"I don't like to make predictions, but I don't think it will pass out of the Senate this week.\" <\/p>\n
While some Republican lawmakers predicted the House GOP will ultimately pass whatever the Senate manages to complete, others said it would take time, consideration and negotiations with the Senate. The House worked for weeks to come up with a consensus on their own legislation and many are not prepared to simply approve of the Senate version. <\/p>\n
Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who heads the House Freedom Caucus, the GOP's most conservative faction, said the House should consider remaining in session to take up the Senate bill if they can pass it this week, depending on what is in it. <\/p>\n
\"Really at this point, if the amendments are enough to bring over conservatives and moderates then yes, we should stay,\" Meadows said. \"If not, then we need to go to conference and figure out how to find consensus.\" <\/p>\n
But other House Republicans said a more realistic timeline is the end of July, before lawmakers leave for the five-week August recess. <\/p>\n
\"I think it has a long ways to go before anyone can draw a conclusion,\" Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., a conservative, told the Washington Examiner. \"I think there are going to be a lot of changes between now and then. They can make it very easy, they can make it more conservative, but then they would lose some moderates.\" <\/p>\n
Conservatives in the House are ready to pick apart whatever the Senate is able to do. <\/p>\n
\"I don't think we can give the Senate a pass,\" Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, told the Washington Examiner. \"We have to take a look at this legislation.\" <\/p>\n
One top GOP lawmaker predicted the House would rubber stamp the Senate bill because members have come to realize that the legislation has been negotiated to the point where there is no more room for change. <\/p>\n
\"If it passes in the Senate, the House will take it up and pass it,\" the lawmaker predicted. <\/p>\n
Senate Republicans are engaged in behind-the-scenes negotiations with GOP holdouts and are trying to lure in both political ends of their conference with changes to the bill. <\/p>\n
Senate GOP leaders have not scheduled a vote to proceed to the legislation due to opposition from both conservatives and centrists. <\/p>\n
Some of the proposed changes they hope will draw support include additional money to aid states battling the opioid addiction epidemic, which could attract centrists. Another change would expand health savings accounts, a conservative priority. <\/p>\n
Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., head of the conservative Republican Study Committee, said Senate passage would pressure the House GOP to act. <\/p>\n
\"Without a doubt, if it passed over in the Senate there would be the energy over here to get it done, to get it finalized,\" Walker said. <\/p>\n
House Republicans steered clear of discussing the Senate legislation during an hour-long private meeting in the Capitol basement Tuesday morning. Instead, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price addressed the group briefly about administrative moves on healthcare reform, and the rest of the time was dedicated to this week's House floor schedule, which includes a lawsuit reform measure and bills addressing illegal immigration and sanctuary cities. <\/p>\n
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House GOP skeptical of Senate progress on healthcare this week - Washington Examiner<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" House Republican lawmakers are skeptical that their GOP colleagues across the Capitol can pass a healthcare bill this week, and say there are no immediate plans to stick around and rubber stamp the Senate bill, even if they do manage to find the votes. Continue reading