Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said Sunday that he remains on the fence regarding the Republican leadership’s legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare.
Cassidy is one of numerous wavering GOP lawmakers who Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will have to win over if the legislation is to pass in a vote expected later this week.
“Right now, I am undecided. There are things in this bill that adversely affect my state, that are peculiar to my state.. but if those can be addressed, I will (vote for it). If they can’t, I won’t,” Cassidy told CBS on Sunday.
Cassidy has been uncommitted on the legislation for weeks and has proposed alternate legislation. Cassidy had appeared earlier in the week to be leaning toward supporting the GOP leadership’s bill, saying it included elements of the the reforms he proposed, “which is positive.”
However, his comments Sunday indicate that he does not believe those changes were sufficient.
Five Senate Republicans have said they plan to vote against the leadership’s bill, though some like Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., have indicated that they can be swayed. Nevertheless, and even with Vice President Mike Pence able to cast a tie-breaking vote if necessary, the GOP leadership will have no margin for error.
The Trump administration, which is backing the Senate legislation, is nevertheless counting on Cassidy and other wavering senators to ultimately fall in line. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Sunday on ABC that the administration had “45” Senate votes for the reform bill, a total only possible if fence-sitters like Cassidy are included.
