House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Thursday that he hopes the Senate can quickly pass its version of the healthcare reform bill moments after the bill was released, but admitted that he has not seen the details of the plan.
“I have not. I’ve been briefed on the Senate version,” Ryan said. “Believe me, I know how hard this process is from personal experience. From what I understand, their bill tracks in many ways along the lines of the House bill. I think that’s very good.”
Ryan declined to comment on the Senate’s process of drafting a bill, which many panned as secretive after Republican senators complained that they had not seen the legislation prior to its release.
“I’m very happy that the Senate has gone through the work of putting together a bill that keeps that promise, so yeah, I’m eager for them to pass it,” Ryan said. “But I’m not going to opine on the details as they go along.”
He also pointed to the Senate’s decision to stay out of the House’s debate on the American Health Care Act that was passed by the chamber in early May.
“They gave us the space to go through our deliberative process. The last thing I want to do is be disrespectful of their process,” Ryan said. “They have a lengthy process ahead of them.”
“I think the bottom line is I want them to pass the bill so we can get on with keeping our promise,” Ryan said adding that Obamacare is in a “tailspin.”
