Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday said he and President Trump are confident Obamacare will be repealed and replaced, despite congressional Republicans’ missing the original deadline to do those things.
Pence told Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum the administration does not want to put a timeline on it, but insisted a replacement healthcare bill will be passed.
“I can tell you that there are good faith discussions under way. And the president and I are encouraged — not that it will get done in any particular period of time, but that it’s going to get done,” Pence said.
“Now clearly a few weeks back, Congress wasn’t quite ready to take the first step to begin the end of Obamacare. But conversations have continued since then. I think we’ve made good progress.”
The former Indiana congressman and governor would not say whether he expects the House to release a revised bill or new legislation by Friday.
The American Health Care Act twice failed to be brought up for a vote two weeks ago when House Freedom Caucus members indicated they could not support the bill, as is. The lack of Republican support meant the House GOP did not have the majority necessary to pass it to the Senate.
