The Senate is slated to continue working on a healthcare bill this week following a Memorial Day recess. The House narrowly passed its own ACA replacement plan — the American Health Care Act — May 4. But now it is unknown whether GOP senators can come to enough of a consensus to pass healthcare legislation.
Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., told WXII 12 News he thinks it’s “unlikely that we will get a healthcare deal,” and that the House healthcare plan is “dead on arrival” in the Senate. He added, “I don’t see a comprehensive healthcare plan this year,” and noted he is “more interested in putting the American people back to work right now.”
Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., recently expressed similar sentiments, saying he is uncertain the Senate could pass a healthcare bill prior to a recess in August, reports The Washington Post.
“There are some still saying that we’ll vote before the August break. I have a hard time believing that,” Mr. Flake said.
But The Washington Post notes Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, was more optimistic, telling KFYO radio, “We’ll get it done by the end of July at the latest.”
But there are various hurdles to overcome before the Senate could pass healthcare reform. For instance, some GOP senators believe other issues, such as tax reform, should be more of a priority right now than healthcare, reports The Washington Post. Additionally, the publication notes, other lawmakers must come to a consensus on various policy issues, such as the funding of Medicaid.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth MacDonough, a lawyer and Senate parliamentarian, and her staff will decide whether the House bill meets Senate reconciliation rules, reports The Washington Post. If the House bill does meet the rules, the Senate could pass a healthcare bill with 50 “yes” votes from GOP members, assuming no Democrats vote for the bill and Vice President Mike Pence casts a tiebreaking vote. However, a previous report from The Washington Post notes the budget reconciliation process may only be used for tax or expenditure items, as well as other items related to federal spending. This could exclude some parts of the AHCA.
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