Republican Study Committee Chairman Mark Walker, R-N.C., said Wednesday that his large bloc of House Republicans are close to throwing their support behind GOP leaders’ plan to repeal and replace Obamacare.
“I’m as hopeful as I’ve been in the entire process,” Walker said after his 100-plus-member caucus had lunch with Vice President MPence Wednesday.
“The vice president came up today and said: ‘I want to let you know that House conservatives, you guys in the Republican Study Committee, your concerns have been heard,'” Walker said. “So we are very hopeful that by hearing us, that some of the things that we are talking about specific today, the work requirements, of course Medicaid expansion [rollback] have now become part of the process, part of the conversation.”
“So obviously there’s got to be some things worked out in the process as far as how that lays out, whether it’s incorporated in a manager’s amendment or the rules, but we’re excited as we’ve been, especially for the next 36-48 hours,” he said.
The group outlined the changes they want to see in the final bill, which come to the House floor as soon as next week.
“I believe that the RSC in general is very close to signing off, that what we would like to do is meet with our RSC steering and ultimately our goal would be a unanimous vote of support if the things that we believe are important to the American people do get incorporated,” Walker said. “Our goal has been from the very beginning to put this piece of legislation in the most conservative package, as well as the most effective package, for the American people and driving to a ‘yes’ the entire time.”
“We’ve never been in a position of opposition just to be opposed to it,” he clarified.
Walker also dismissed the notion that if conservatives get their tweaks included in the bill, it will drive away moderate votes. The more conservative members of the House Freedom Caucus, for example, are mostly opposed to the bill, and are trying to push GOP leaders to more aggressively repeal Obamacare.
“If you believe in the second law of thermodynamics, that for every action it creates an equal and opposite reaction—sure, some of that’s going to be able to be moved a little bit back and forth,” he said. “But I believe there’s still enough middle ground, enough breathing space, that it keeps everybody on board in the ask that we have made,” Walker said. “I believe that even the more moderate members, specifically the Tuesday Group, would be able to get there as well,” he said, referring to the caucus of moderate House Republicans.
“The vice president was gracious enough to spend close to 40 minutes with us, took all the questions that he had time for from the members, and I think that most guys would have to walk away feeling optimistic about the process,” Walker said.
Pence described the meeting as “steady progress” as he left the Capitol.
“Good meeting,” he said.” Steady progress. Lots of good discussions.”
