There are just three weeks before the 2017 August recess and according to a number of Senators on Capitol Hill, the odds of an Obamacare repeal and replacement bill making it to President Trump's desk before then are slim.
After years of promising to rid the country of the scourge of Obamacare, Republicans are admitting legislation being considered in the Senate might be dead on arrival, especially since Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can only afford to lose two votes from his side of the aisle.
"My view is it's probably going to be dead," Arizona Senator John McCain said on Fox News Sunday.
"The bill is just being lit up like a Christmas tree full of billion dollar ornaments. It's not repeal," Kentucky Senator Rand Paul said last week.
.@RandPaul on #HealthCare Battle: "The bill is just being lit up like a Christmas tree full of billion dollar ornaments. It's not repeal." pic.twitter.com/eXKVJrCMMo
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) July 5, 2017
As Cortney reported earlier, Senator Pat Toomey expects a new version of the American Healthcare Act, which was passed by the House in May, to emerge as early as Monday afternoon. The goal is three fold: keep conservatives from calling the plan Obamacare light, keep moderates from bailing because the bill is too "mean" and to fulfill the long stated Republican promise to the American people of truly repealing and replacing Obamacare once and for all.
It's a tall order and President Trump expects Republicans are up for the challenge.
For years, even as a "civilian," I listened as Republicans pushed the Repeal and Replace of ObamaCare. Now they finally have their chance!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017