Trump Turns Up Pressure On GOP Holdouts Before Health Care Bill Vote
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WASHINGTON (AP) - With just about a day left before the House vote, President Donald Trump and House leaders are pressuring holdout GOP lawmakers to support the Republican health care overhaul bill.
The vote promises to be close. If 21 Republican vote "No" it would sink the bill.
The latest count by CBS News shows at least 24 House Republicans remain opposed to The American Health Care Act. Many of them are conservatives who say the bill does not go far enough.
President Trump has turned up the pressure to get it passed. During a closed-door meeting of the House Rules Committee on Wednesday morning, the President warned Republicans they will suffer heavy losses in the Midterm elections if it fails. Trump singled out North Carolina Republican Mark Meadows, Chairman of the Tea Party-inspired House Freedom Caucus.
"The bill that we're currently considering does not lower premiums for the vast majority of Americans," Meadows fire back.
The President is scheduled to hold another closed-door meeting Wednesday afternoon to try to convince Republican holdouts to change their mind.
Former Vice President Joe Biden joined Democrats on the Capitol's steps to mark the seven-year anniversary of President Barack Obama signing the Affordable Care Act into law.
"Eliminating the Affordable Care Act means eliminating an awful lot of things people badly need," said Biden.
If the Republican bill does pass the House, it still faces an uncertain future in the Senate.