Rep. Marsha Blackburn is cautiously optimistic about Friday's House vote on the American Health Care Act, telling Newsmax TV the GOP replacement for Obamacare should squeak through.
"I think that it's fair to say it's trending yes. I've talked to a couple of people who had been a no or leaned no and they're moving to a lean yes and yes," Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican, said Friday to Steve Malzberg on "America Talks Live."
"The bill has been made much more conservative from the time that it was filed by our House leadership and that's a good thing for those of us that are conservatives.
"It includes the pro-life language I worked on, it includes the disallowing new state entries into the Medicaid expansion, so that is blocked and frozen."
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Blackburn, said that work requirements for those on Medicaid have also been added as well as an amendment that sends "essential health benefits" back to state governments.
"[It would be] just like it used to be when the state could decide what the benefits were, that were going to be offered in their state. So, good progress."
She praised President Donald Trump for his work on the healthcare bill and it's day-in and day-out tweaking.
"I think that he has shown that he has made every good faith effort to move forward and work with members to achieve agreement. He has been very collaborative, he has been very patient," Blackburn said.
"I think that he pretty much is saying, OK, come on. It is time for you all to do what you're supposed to be doing … so if you guys can't come to an agreement, let's move on and do something else and Obamacare will just remain."
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