Sen. Chuck Grassley on Wednesday said passing the Senate's latest healthcare bill is as much as about keeping campaign promises as it is about the bill itself, The Des Moines Register reported.
"I could maybe give you 10 reasons why this bill shouldn't be considered,” Grassley said on a conference call, the Register reported.
"But Republicans campaigned on this so often that you have a responsibility to carry out what you said in the campaign. That's pretty much as much of a reason as the substance of the bill," the Iowa Republican said.
The Graham-Cassidy bill, sponsored in part by Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy, would kick healthcare to the states with a block grant of federal funds to run it.
Senate Republicans are scrambling to get the votes before a Sept. 30 deadline to pass the measure with a simple majority.
Grassley said he doubts the votes are there; Sen. Rand Paul is a definite no while a host of other Republicans are undecided, at best, putting passage in peril.
"I think we're one or two votes short and I don't see those other one or two votes coming,” Grassley said. "I hope I'm wrong."
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