House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., pushed back Thursday against reports Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has accused House Speaker Paul Ryan of misleading President Donald Trump about the amount of support the American Health Care Act has in Congress.
"That is just not true," the California Republican told Fox News' "Fox & Friends" program. "The president supports this plan, is working for this plan. I think everybody should get on board."
Paul made the accusations during an exclusive interview with Breitbart News on Wednesday, saying he has spoken with Trump and thinks he "agrees with me that we should repeal and replace, but I don't think he's stuck on that they have to be in the same bill necessarily."
"If you want to see Obamacare replaced, this is the best opportunity to do it," McCarthy told Fox News on Thursday. "If you want to see replacement that lowers premiums and gives greater quality of care, this is the only option we have going forward. If you think you can repeal Obamacare, and think you're going to find 60 votes in the Senate, that blame will be on us for failure of Obamacare.
"I think that is the wrong way to go. We want to solve this problem."
McCarthy noted the bill is progressing in three phases, and those who read it "will understand why the president backs this plan and believes it is the best move forward."
Republicans early Thursday pushed legislation through the Ways and Means Committee to abolish the Obamacare tax penalty, but still, White House and Republican leaders are finding many party members and outside groups are divided over the overhaul legislation as it is written.
Democrats are trying to slow down the legislation in the Energy and Commerce committees, McCarthy said Thursday. Most of the work there deals with Medicaid expansion.
"Remember, this is phase one of the process," McCarthy said. "Because of the Senate rules, because we have to go through what is called reconciliation through a budget process we can not put everything in the bill when it comes to replacement."
The second phase of the bill allows for the powers of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to take his role in the program, McCarthy continued, and the third phase will involve allowing insurance over state lines, tort reform, and other measures.
"We want to solve this problem," McCarthy said. "This is the best option. That is why you will find because this will move through the House and get to the Senate."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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