Uh Oh: At Least 36 Republicans Plan To Vote Against GOP Health Care Bill

Ohio Republican Congressman Dave Joyce just announced his intention to vote against the American Health Care Act. He issued this statement on his Facebook page, citing issues with the bill’s provisions regarding Medicare.

I’m eager to support legislation that doesn’t reduce funding in the Medicare trust fund and actually helps lower healthcare costs for the more than 465,000 people in my district who obtain their health insurance via their employer. Those individuals, who make up 65 percent of the district, have seen nothing but higher premiums, higher deductibles, and higher co-pays. We need to find solutions to help them and their families. The middle class cannot keep bearing the brunt of everything.

Katie and Guy have been following the vote all day. The bill’s failure seems all but certain as at least 36 Republicans (CBS News has the count as high as 38) plan to vote against the bill. Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA), who hails from a competitive district in Northern Virginia, is also voting against the bill. The Hill has a list of the solid “no” votes:

HOUSE REPUBLICANS

No (36)

Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.) — “While I've been in Congress, I can't recall a more universally detested piece of legislation than this GOP health care bill," Amash tweeted on March 20.

Rep. Mark Amodei (Nev.) — We’ve done our homework. We’ve closed on the issue in preparation for a vote tonight. I’m a no on the #AHCA," Amodei tweeted on Thursday.

Rep. Rod Blum (Iowa) — "I'm a no as the bill stands today," Blum told The Hill on March 21. "We need real competition driving prices down. We don’t need the government telling us what should be in an insurance policy. The government has a role to play. We need to help people who need the help."

Rep. Dave Brat (Va.) — Brat voted against the bill in the House Budget Committee.

Rep. Mo Brooks (Ala.) — "I'll vote NO," Brooks tweeted Tuesday, March 21.

Rep. Andy Biggs (Ariz.) — While praising GOP leaders and President Trump for their efforts to negotiate, Biggs said on March 23 he would vote no, saying in a statement "In short, the legislation wrongfully perpetuates national control over health care, and I will not support a piece of legislation that fails to meet the expectations of my district."

Rep. Ted Budd (N.C.) — “As currently written, I cannot support the American Health Care Act,” Budd said in a statement on March 21. Budd, a freshman, was backed by Club for Growth in the election. The conservative group opposes the GOP bill.

Rep. Barbara Comstock (Va.) — A Comstock spokesman told reporters Friday the lawmaker is a no.

Rep. Rick Crawford (Ark.) — "As it stands right now, I'm going to vote against it," Crawford told Arkansas Online on Wednesday. "I can't see changing my vote to yes at this point."

Rep. Charlie Dent (Pa.) — "I believe this bill, in its current form, will lead to the loss of coverage and make insurance unaffordable for too many Americans, particularly for low-to-moderate income and older individuals," Dent, co-chair of the centrist Tuesday Group, said in a March 22 statement.

Rep. Scott DesJarlais (Tenn.) — DesJarlais told The Hill on Thursday March 23 he is a no. “We’ve got to have a means to bring the premiums down,” he said.

Rep. Dan Donovan (N.Y.) — “I do not believe the legislation as currently written is in the best interest of the 740,000 people I represent in Congress, and I believe we can do better,” Donovan wrote in an op-ed to explain why he will vote no.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) — "[I]n its current form I cannot support this legislation," Fitzpatrick wrote in a statement posted to Facebook on March 18.

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (N.J.) — In a Facebook post Friday, the chairman of the Appropriations Committee called the bill "currently unacceptable."

Rep. Tom Garrett (Va.) — Garrett told The John Fredericks Radio Show he would vote against the bill on March 7. In an interview on CNN on March 14, he stressed that: “Right now, I am a firm no.”

Rep. Louie Gohmert (Texas) — "I’m determined to help my president and so many of my colleagues keep their word. And the bill in its present form doesn’t do that,” Gohmert told The Hill on March 22.

Rep. Andy Harris (Md.) — A spokesman for Harris told NBC News he would not vote for the bill.

Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (Wash.) — “While I appreciate this week’s efforts by Speaker Ryan and his leadership team to better protect older Americans from health care cost increases, the difficulties this bill would crete for millions of children were left unaddressed,” she said in a statement.

Rep. Jody Hice (Ga.) — “Since the American Health Care Act was introduced, my staff and I have been reviewing it in depth. Unfortunately, in it’s current form, I do not believe it delivers on lowering health care costs or fully eliminating many of Obamacare’s most harmful provisions,” Hice wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday morning.

Rep. Walter Jones (N.C.) — Jones has bucked GOP leaders on a number of occasions.

Rep. Jim Jordan (Ohio) — Jordan, a former chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, has said he would unveil his own clean repeal bill.

Rep. David Joyce (Ohio) — Joyce said Friday he is a no.

Rep. John Katko (N.Y.) — "Despite some promising reforms, I do not support the proposal before the House in its current form," Katko said in a statement on March 17. Clinton won Katko's district in November.

Rep. Raúl Labrador (Idaho) — "We need to make sure that we repeal and replace ObamaCare. But this bill is not it," Labrador said on CNN's "The Situation Room" on March 9.

Rep. Leonard Lance (N.J.) — Lance told reporters Tuesday he was a no after a meeting at the White House.

Rep. Frank LoBiondo (N.J.) — “Regrettably, current healthcare proposal falls far short & is not better for #SouthJersey. I will be voting no on American Health Care Act,” LoBiondo tweeted on Wednesday.

Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.) — Massie told the Washington Examiner on March 7 that the bill was a "stinking pile of garbage." He also voted in January against the budget resolution that began the process of repealing ObamaCare.

Rep. Mark Meadows (N.C.) — The leader of the House Freedom Caucus had been demanding major changes to the ObamaCare bill.

Rep. Bill Posey (Fla.) — “As of now, Rep. Posey is a ‘no’ on the bill unless there are changes made,” a spokesman told local station WFTV on March 22.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.) — The GOP lawmaker tweeted on March 14 that she plans to vote no on the current bill, saying it leaves "too many" people in her south Florida district uninsured. Clinton won Ros-Lehtinen's district by nearly 20 points.

Rep. Mark Sanford (S.C.) — Sanford voted against the bill in the House Budget Committee. He is also a member of the Freedom Caucus.

Rep. Chris Smith (N.J.) — "The overriding concern I have is the Medicaid expansion being significantly altered," Smith told the Asbury Park Press. "It affects so many of our disabled individuals and families, and the working poor."

Rep. Glenn Thompson (Pa.) — Thompson on March 18 said he "could not support the bill in its current form," according to the Centre Daily Times.

Rep. Rob Wittman (Va.) — “After reviewing this legislation and receiving the Congressional Budget Office score today, it is clear that this bill is not consistent with the repeal and replace principles for which I stand,” Wittman said in a statement on March 13.

Rep. Ted Yoho (Fla.) — “I could not support the bill as it is right now,” Yoho said on “PBS Newshour” on March 14. On March 17, he introduced a bill to give insurance companies more flexibility while Congress works on a replacement plan.

Rep. David Young (Iowa) — Young in a statement said he "cannot support" the bill in its "present form."

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At the White House briefing, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the vote is set for 3:30 P.M. EST.