A conservative outside group known for promoting Tea Party candidates is warning lawmakers they’ll be negatively scored if they vote for the GOP plan to repeal and replace Obamacare.
FreedomWorks on Wednesday sent a letter to House and Senate Republicans warning them that the proposal “has too many Obamacare-like flaws,” and should be defeated.
“There are parts of the American Health Care Act that bring about positive reforms, including the expansion of health savings accounts (HSAs), the repeal of most of Obamacare’s taxes, and Medicaid reforms,” the letter said. “Unfortunately, even with recently submitted changes, the American Health Care Act has too many Obamacare-like flaws.”
FreedomWorks is among several conservative advocacy groups lobbying against the bill and threatening lawmakers who vote for it with a negative rating. Heritage Action announced this week they would also punish lawmakers with a negative mark if they back the bill.
The groups want Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to pull the legislation and instead take up legislation cleared by the GOP-led Congress last year that would repeal almost all of Obamacare.
The current bill, FreedomWorks lobbyist Jason Pye said to lawmakers in the letter, “falls short” of the Republican campaign promise to undo Obamacare.
The House is expected to take up the measure on Thursday. It zeroes out Obamacare taxes, phases out the Medicaid expansion and substitutes tax credits for subsidies awarded under Obamacare.
