President Trump is scheduled to meet with the conservative House Freedom Caucus on Thursday in what is sure to be a last-ditch effort to win their support for the GOP bill to replace Obamacare.
The House Freedom Caucus has expressed opposition to the American Health Care Act in its current form, but a spokesman for its chairman, Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., said the group is “cautiously optimistic” they will get what they want in negotiations, specifically lowering premium costs.
Their closed-press meeting tomorrow is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at the White House, according to the president’s public schedule. It doesn’t say explicitly that the meeting will pertain to the healthcare bill. Vice President Mike Pence will also be in attendance.
President Trump already met with House Republicans, including Meadows, on Wednesday to gin up support for the bill, where, lawmakers attested, he threatened retribution in the 2018 primaries if they didn’t support it. He also reportedly warned House Freedom Chair Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., saying “I’m coming after you.”
While Republican leaders are weighing changes to the bill in order to win over conservative support, they run the risk of losing moderate Republicans. Already a key moderate, Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., announced he will oppose the bill in its current form after an hours-long meeting with House Speaker Paul Ryan, who sought to convince him to support it.
The House is currently scheduled to vote on the bill Thursday, but that may change. The House Rules Committee met Wednesday to iron out any alterations to the healthcare bill, but ended the session late in the evening without accepting any amendments or announcing any rule by which bill will be handled. “We have not cut the deal yet,” said House Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions, R-Texas.
The committee will meet again Thursday morning.
