In an attempt to bring a failed healthcare bill back from the dead Wednesday, President Trump told all 52 Republican Senators they have an obligation to keep their promise of repealing and replacing Obamacare before heading home for the August recess.
"I intend to keep my promise and I know you will too," Trump said Senators at the White House for lunch. "We have no choice. We have to repeal and replace Obamacare."
"My message today is very simple. We have to stay here, we can't leave town and we should hammer this out and get it done. And not just the repeal. We ought to get more than repeal, the people of this country need more than a repeal," he continued. "They need a repeal and a replace. We were very, very close and little things happens. But we're very close again, we have to get it there."
.@POTUS: "We shouldn't leave town... The people of this country need more than a repeal. They need a repeal and a replace." pic.twitter.com/jGmV9W7TTA
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 19, 2017
Yesterday the President called for a simple repeal of Obamacare in light of the Better Care Act failing to gather enough votes to pass, but put repeal and replace back on the table today. He also said lawmakers should allow Obamacare to fail, but said today inaction isn't an option.
"We are so close. We have no Democrat help, they're obstructionists, that's all they know how to do. They've gone so far left. They're looking for single-payer, that's what they want. It will bankrupt our country," Trump said. "States can do a better job than the federal government when it comes to healthcare"
"I’ve been here six months. 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," he continued. "I’m ready to act. People are hurting. Inaction is not an option, and 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."
The President offered a deal that would repeal the Obamacare individual mandate and repeal of what he called the "job killing" employer mandate. He also noted significant funding for the opioid crisis and a provision that would allow allow insurance companies to sell coverage across state lines in order to decrease premium costs.
During his remarks, the President also sent veiled warnings to vulnerable Senators like Dean Heller of Nevada by joking about his chances of being re-elected in 2018.