Republican lawmakers seeking details on the second and third phases of healthcare reform should address their concerns to House Speaker Paul Ryan, the White House said Tuesday.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer was asked Tuesday why the White House has failed to provide information about provisions that will be contained in the latter two parts of their effort to repeal and replace Obamacare.
“I think that’s a great question for Speaker Ryan,” Spicer responded.
The response came hours after Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., told a conservative radio host that “there is no three-phase process” and questioned why President Trump and Ryan have chosen to pursue a multi-pronged approach.
“There is no three-phase process. There is no three-step plan. That is just political talk. It’s just politicians engaging in spin,” Cotton had said, noting that phase three is a piece of “mystical legislation” that Republican senators have yet to see.
“Sen. Cotton is obviously able to make any comments that he’d like,” Spicer said in reaction, contesting that there are not three phases that can occur.
Spicer noted that “prong two is actually fairly easy to do,” because it will be done administratively. He said the third prong is legislation that could get the 60 votes in the Senate needed for passage — unlike the first prong, a bill that will only need 50 votes — because senators on both sides of the aisle might like its potential for creating choice in the market and cost savings.
