Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s new proposal to simply repeal Obamacare appears to already be dead, less than 24 hours after he dropped his replacement plan for lack of support among fellow Republicans.
GOP Senators Susan Collins, Shelley Moore Capito and Lisa Murkowski said Tuesday they’ll oppose a repeal of the Affordable Care Act. McConnell said late Monday the Senate would vote on a repeal with a two-year delay to give Congress time to agree on a replacement, but he could afford to lose no more than two Republican votes to advance the measure.
Repealing the law now and then hoping for a replacement "would create great anxiety for individuals who rely on the ACA," Collins of Maine told reporters in Washington. "I believe it would cause the insurance markets to go into turmoil." She said she would oppose bringing a repeal bill up for debate.
Capito of West Virginia said she would refuse to take up a repeal plan without an adequate replacement. "I did not come to Washington to hurt people," she said in a statement.
Murkowski of Alaska also said she wouldn’t vote to take up a repeal-alone measure.
"There’s enough chaos and uncertainty already and this would just contribute to it," Murkowski told reporters.
On Monday, opposition from four Republicans sank McConnell’s repeal and replacement legislation, which the majority leader drafted mostly in secret. President Donald Trump said on Twitter that he was willing to “let Obamacare fail” before moving forward on a replacement.
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