Robert King reports for the Washington Examiner that prospects remain slim for any legislation to repeal or replace the Affordable Care Act.
The Senate and White House are trying to pick up the pieces after a humiliating defeat last week of a bill aimed at kickstarting talks with the House on Obamacare repeal. But, as some senators are meeting with the White House to write a new proposal, other Republicans are not optimistic they can get anything done this summer, if at all.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, didn’t mince words when asked about how hopeful he is if anything can get done on healthcare reform.
“Right now I’m very pessimistic,” he said.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, told Reuters Monday he and other senior Republicans plan to tell President Trump to move on to tax reform, even though he hasn’t given up on healthcare reform.
“There’s just too much animosity and we’re too divided on healthcare,” he said.
Trump and White House officials have not given up on Obamacare repeal after the defeat. Trump tweeted over the weekend that Republican senators would be “total quitters” unless they take up healthcare again.
White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said Sunday the Senate shouldn’t vote on anything else until it votes again on healthcare.