Sen. Rand Paul is replacing Sen. Ted Cruz as the key conservative troublemaker in Congress, The Hill is reporting.
The Kentucky Republican is fighting to get a group of House conservatives to vote against the GOP's healthcare reform legislation in hopes of convincing House Speaker Paul Ryan to open negotiations on the proposed bill.
"There's really no negotiating going on," Paul told The Hill. "Ryan is giving up nothing until he determines he doesn't have enough votes. If we get to the point where he doesn't have enough votes, then he'll negotiate."
While continuing to try to get some colleagues to oppose the bill, Paul has talked with President Donald Trump about his concerns, WDRB-TV in Kentucky noted.
"I've talked to him several times about how we make healthcare better in the country, and he says he's open to compromise," said Paul.
But first Paul is trying to show there is enough opposition to the bill to bring about a compromise. The Hill reported Paul is hoping to convince conservative Republicans on the House Budget Committee to join him in opposing the bill.
"If they pass it unanimously out of the Budget Committee, my guess is there's not going to be much compromise," Paul said.
And he is also urging House Republicans to vote against the rule that would bring the healthcare reform bill to the floor.
The move has brought about comparisons to Sen. Cruz, R-Texas,, who had pressured GOP leaders to hold-up a government funding bill in 2013 to protest the implementation of Obamacare.
"That's what Cruz did a few years ago," The Hill quoted on unnamed Republican senator.
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