Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he is more hopeful now than in recent memory that Obamacare can be repealed thanks to a bill proposed by Sens. Bill Cassidy and Lindsey Graham, likening it to the biblical story of Lazarus being raised from the dead.
“I’m not going to tell you what my whip check is, but we’re working on it,” Cornyn told reporters when asked how short Senate Republicans are of the requisite 50 votes needed.
“I’m more hopeful now than I have been,” Cornyn said. “It’s sort of like Lazarus raised from the dead. I know I was disappointed when we were unsuccessful previously and I think this provides us one last opportunity before the end of the month.”
The no. 2 Senate Republican also said he is not worried about news that the Congressional Budget Office will not be able to issue a full score for the bill. They announced Monday they hope to release a preliminary report on the legislation early next week.
“We’ll get what we need in order to make decisions,” Cornyn said. “I think we know from previous CBO scores generally what their response is going to be.”
The push behind the bill, led by Graham, R-S.C., and Cassidy, R-La., is a last ditch effort before the ability to use the budget reconciliation tool expires on Sept. 30, which Cornyn said is the impetus behind the final effort.
“Deadlines work around here,” Cornyn said. “They usually force something. They force action.”
