To avoid a temper tantrum from President Trump, Senate Republicans are poised to take their first vote on health care repeal today — pushing forward on the same health care bill that passed the House of Representatives earlier this summer.
On top of the fact that the House bill will completely devastate people’s health care, voting for this House health care repeal bill would break the promise many Senators have made to oppose the House health care repeal.
Take a look at their promises…
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME): “I am not at all comfortable with the House-passed bill.” [CNN State of the Union, 6/11/17]
- “There does seem to be a consensus that the House bill could never pass the Senate and I’m certainly of that belief as well.” [The Hill, 5/29/17]
- “This is not a bill I could support in its current form.” [Press Herald, 3/17/17]
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): “Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, who has been very critical of the House bill, said Thursday she hopes they start with ‘a clean slate’ in the Senate.” [Bloomberg, 5/4/17]
Senator Dean Heller (R-NV): “I agree with Governor Sandoval. I do not support the House bill in its current form.” [Associated Press, 3/17/17]
Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): “I’m not satisfied. I’m worried about a lot of folks in West Virginia, of opioid and drug abuse issues, and the expanded Medicaid has helped with that.” [Washington Post, 3/23/17]
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA): “Bill Cassidy of Louisiana says he wants to radically reshape the House bill so that it covers more people, not the 24 million fewer estimated by the Congressional Budget Office.” [Bloomberg Politics, 3/21/17]
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL): “That’s the House bill. The Senate bill is going to be the Senate bill. Obviously the CBO score is one data point and it’s instructive, but it’s not our bill.” [Roll Call, 5/26/17]
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX): “The Senate bill will be significantly different from the House bill.” [The Hill, 5/26/17]
Senator Rob Portman (R-OH): “I continue to have concerns [the House bill] does not do enough to protect Ohio’s Medicaid population, especially those who are receiving treatment for heroin and prescription drug abuse.” [Portman Statement, 5/4/17]
- Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH): “I could not support the current health legislation.” [Dayton Daily News, 3/23/17]
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY): “I would be a no in the Senate.” [Tweet, 3/21/17]
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT): “I am a no.” [Tweet, 3/21/17]
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR): “Despite the proposed amendments, I still cannot support the House health care bill, nor would it pass the Senate.” [The Hill, 3/21/17]
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI): “Let’s be honest. Not a whole lot of people are loving the (House bill) right now. I will not vote to support it until I have enough information that whatever we’re going to pass will work.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/21/17]
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): “I’m very worried what the House bill would do to Arizona.” [Talking Points Memo, 3/13/17]