Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said the only way he would vote for an Obamacare overhaul bill currently in the Senate is if a key piece of the legislation is dropped.
Paul said on “Meet The Press” Sunday he’d vote for the healthcare bill proposed by Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy if they dropped a provision block granting Affordable Care Act funding to the states instead of having it come from the federal government.
That provision is central to the legislation, and Paul said it’s unacceptable for him.
“What it sets up is a perpetual food fight over the formula,” he said. “What happens when Democrats win? They’re going to claw back that money from Republican states to give to Democrat states.”
He added he could support the bill “if they narrow the focus to what we all agree on — expanding health savings accounts, giving governors more freedom through waivers, slowing down the rate of growth of out-of-control entitlement spending.”
Republicans need 50 votes out of their 52-member caucus in order to pass the bill, with the help of Vice President Mike Pence breaking a tie.
However, the current whip count shows they’re unlikely to get there — Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Sunday she “can’t envision” voting for the bill as it is and Sen. John McCain said he’s a no vote because the bill hasn’t gone through the proper process. Paul’s opposition would make three votes against the bill, killing it.
Paul said he’s staunchly for repealing Obamacare, but he wants to do it in a pure way instead of simply doing half measures that don’t control government spending.
“We can’t just keep piling on new money,” he said. “There has to be a few conservatives left in Washington.”
