House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows, R-N.C., said Republicans will still work on the “perfect bill” to repeal and replace Obamacare following Friday morning’s defeat in the Senate of a “skinny” bill to modify parts of the healthcare law.
“What we really need to do is focus on delivering on the promise. I can tell you, the president is already engaged this morning,” Meadows told Fox News on Friday. “We’re going to go back to work to make sure we actually get a bill. Really, what we were talking about last night was passing something to allow us to bring up a bill in a couple of weeks. So now we just work on that perfect bill, make sure we bring it forward. I’m optimistic we can still get it done.”
Senate Republicans voted early Friday morning on a plan to repeal parts of the 2010 healthcare law. But the bill was ultimately voted down, 51 to 49, with three Republican senators — Susan Collins of Maine, John McCain of Arizona and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — joining Democrats in opposing the measure.
Following the vote, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “It’s time to move on,” and House Speaker Paul Ryan said he was “confident” Republicans could pass a plan to reform the tax code, the next item on the GOP’s legislative agenda.
“I feel much more confident that we’re going to stick the landing on tax reform because we have said we have consensus, here’s the framework, let’s go get it done,” Ryan, R-Wis., told Fox Business.
But Meadows, who talked to President Trump on Friday morning, said both he and the president remain committed to coming up with a new bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.
“The people are losing faith, but I can tell you who’s staying in: The president is staying in on this fight,” he said. “He’s going to deliver. He made it very clear this morning.”
