Sen. Ron Johnson continues to have reservations about the Senate Republican healthcare bill, and believes leadership is trying to “jam” the bill through this week.
Johnson, R-Wis., discussed his reservations about the Senate GOP’s healthcare legislation Monday on “The Hugh Hewitt Show.” He said the design of the current proposal is “devoid of information.”
Johnson said the ongoing debate lacks the Congressional Budget Office analysis, which is expected on Monday, or statistics from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
“I see what leadership is trying to do, they want to jam this thing through,” Johnson said.
Johnson is one of five Republican senators who has publicly said he would not support the bill in its current form.
Johnson argued the House and Senate bills failed to address the concerns of the “forgotten man,” specifically by lowering premiums and making health care affordable again. Johnson called the bill a “wimpy reform” and “so far from a repeal.”
Johnson has reached out to the White House for input, insinuating that Senate leadership is not listening to conservatives.
Hewitt, who admitted the bill had its flaws, insisted that Senate Republicans should vote in support of the legislation this week. Johnson disagreed with Hewitt, referring to the call for a vote this week an “artificial deadline.”
Hewitt countered that if Republicans did not pass a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, then they would lose their majorities in the House and the Senate in the 2018 midterms.
Hewitt urged Senate Republicans to pass legislation that they can improve upon during a conference committee with the House Republicans. Johnson remained skeptical that conference would even happen, arguing it is “wrong for (Senate leadership) to sell it afterwards,” adding Senate leadership doesn’t have “the information to sell the bill to the American public.”
“I come from a business and a media background,” Hewitt said. “We have everything we need to market it and sell it, what we need is a party to pass it.”
Hewitt twice pressed Johnson on whether he would vote for or against the legislation if he were the deciding vote. Johnson responded he wanted to improve the legislation but did not want to “kill the bill.”
