White House legislative affairs director Marc Short said President Trump told GOP senators Wednesday that “inaction is not an option” on repealing and replacing Obamacare.
“In general, there was a general enthusiasm that recognizing that this is not something we can walk away from,” Short said of Trump’s lunch meeting with senators on the healthcare legislation pending before the Senate. “We are confident we can get this bill passed … so all of our efforts are to get onto a vote.”
He added, “If you’re not willing to move to proceed you’re basically acknowledging that there’s nothing wrong [with Obamacare].”
Short said Trump made clear to the senators that he was “anxious” to repeal and replace Obamacare and was waiting pen-in-hand to do so.
In remarks outside the White House on Wednesday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell emphasized that a vote to advance the legislation would occur next week. McConnell suggested that the Senate may proceed by simply repealing Obamacare or by replacing it at the same time.
Short told reporters the president discussed Sens. Ted Cruz and Mike Lee’s opposition to the existing legislation. A cadre of Trump administration officials — Vice President Mike Pence, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma — are heading to Capitol Hill on Wednesday night to persuade skeptical Republicans to join the Trump team’s push.
Short said Trump encouraged GOP senators to stay in town to advance the healthcare legislation, but Short noted that Trump himself would be traveling.
