Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer likened President Trump and Republicans’ reticence to referring to the Obamacare replacement bill as “Trumpcare” or “Ryancare” to a slapstick episode of Abbott and Costello.
Several times over the last week, Schumer had pointed out that both Trump and Ryan were trying to avoid having the measure referred to with their monikers as proof that neither want to claim ownership of a bill that is drawing criticism from the left and the right.
But on Wednesday, Schumer came up with a new way to make the same point.
“It’s Abbott and Costello – you put your name on it. No, you put your name on it,” he said on the Senate floor Wednesday.
Schumer may have been confusing Abbott and Costello with the vaudeville act Alphonse and Gaston, who were famous for a routine in which they said, “After you, Alphonse” and then, “No, you first, my dear Gaston!”
Schumer went on to say that Trump doesn’t want his name on the bill even though he says he supports it “in his daily tweets” and even though “he’s inviting wary Republicans to the White House to try to sell them on it.”
“His own press secretary says the White House is in full sell mode,” he said.
The New York Democrat also recalled how Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the budget reconciliation process, which Republicans are using to move the measure, allows for numerous amendments so Republicans have the opportunity to change it when it comes up for consideration on the Senate floor.
If that’s the case, he asked, why are Republicans rushing the bill through without Senate committee consideration and regular hearings?
“I know there is an attempt to rush it through, but if it’s such a fine product, it ought to withstand the scrutiny of hearings and markups in the various committees,” he said. “To rush it through is an indication that the sponsors of the bill, the supporters of the bill, are not very proud of it.”
McConnell Wednesday in his opening remarks on the Senate floor once again stressed that GOP lawmakers would have a chance to amend the bill.
“I appreciate the hard work the House is doing to advance this legislation. We look forward to receiving it here in the Senate,” he said. “When we do, I expect to consider amendments as part of our robust debate.”
He also stressed that the bill is only one part of a three-pronged strategy to “help bring relief to the American people.” The first prong is the House bill, the second prong is executive action and the third prong is more legislation to reform the healthcare market and “make it more competitive for consumers.”
“The one thing we shouldn’t do is nothing,” he said.
He reiterated that President Obama last year recognized that his signature health care law had “real problems” — that there are people who are hurt by premium increases or “lack of competition and choice.”
“So even Democrats recognize that the Obamacare status quo is unacceptable,” he said. “… Obamacare is a disaster and it’s going to get worse” if Congress doesn’t do something.
