Bipartisan complaints as GOP lawmakers take over health care bill
Senate Republican leaders say they will release a draft of their health care bill Thursday, as lawmakers from both parties complain about being cut out of the process.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who's one of the 13 senators supposedly writing the health care bill, said the process has been taken over by GOP leaders and took to Facebook Tuesday to express his frustration.
"I'm told it exists. I just haven't been able to see it yet and as far as I know, the overwhelming majority of my colleagues haven't been able to see it either," Lee said.
President Trump tweeted Tuesday: "With #Obamacare Americans are stuck with higher costs, more taxes, and fewer choices. Americans need relief now. #RepealAndReplace."
With #Obamacare Americans are stuck with higher costs, more taxes, and fewer choices. Americans need relief now. #RepealAndReplace
— President Trump (@POTUS) June 20, 2017
Three Democrats tried to make a point by live streaming a visit to the Congressional Budget Office, where they failed to get a copy of the GOP plan.
"Do not let this go by without your voice!" Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said.
"Republicans are shutting us and the American public out of this process," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said.
Republican leaders are trying to come up with a bill that marks a clean break with Obamacare, but does not resemble the House GOP bill, which the president described as "mean."
"How will your bill have more 'heart,' as the president puts it, than the House version?" Cordes asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
"It will be different and take a different approach based upon these endless discussions we've had with the only people interested in changing the law, which is Republican senators," McConnell responded.
"You say that Democrats aren't interested, but they aren't invited into your—" Cordes started.
"Well they wouldn't have – they made it clear earlier they weren't interested in participating in this, they have no interest in it whatsoever," McConnell said.
Democratic leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York disputed that.
"Never sought out negotiations. Never sought our opinions. Just decided to do this in the dark of night," Schumer said.
Even Republicans are now making light of the elusive bill.
"I'm sure that maybe the Russians have been able to hack in and gotten most of it, but I haven't seen it," Arizona Sen. John McCain said.