'We Came Up Short': House Speaker Paul Ryan Pulls Health Care Bill Vote
WASHINGTON (CBS) -- In a surprise announcement, the House announced they have postponed the vote on President Donald Trump's health care bill.
CBS News confirms that the American Health Care Act has been pulled from the House floor. Trump asked House Speaker Paul Ryan to pull the bill.
The bill was not expected to pass the Republican-controlled Congress.
CBS News' Chip Reid reports that a lot of Republicans don't want to vote on a bill that isn't going anywhere because it could be used against them politically.
Ryan said in a press conference that he told Trump the best thing to do was to pull the bill.
"This is a disappointing day for us. Doing big things is hard," Ryan said, adding that "we came up short."
Ryan stated that the president "gave his all in the effort."
Despite the setback, Ryan said that he's still proud of the bill and believes it will make a "dramatic improvement" in America's health care system.
"What's probably most troubling is that the worst is yet to come with Obamacare," Ryan said.
However, Ryan said, Obamacare is still the "law of the land."
"Obamacare is the law of the land and it will remain the law of the land until it's replaced," the speaker said.
Trump put the onus on the Democrats.
"I think the losers are Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. They own Obamacare 100 percent," the president said.
Trump believes "Obamacare is exploding."
"I've been saying for the last year-and-a-half that the best thing that we can do politically speaking is let Obamacare explode," Trump said.
Trump added that he is open to working with Democrats on health care legislation.
The initial vote was supposed to happen Thursday on the American Health Care Act but Ryan pushed it back to Friday.
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The bill dropped requirements that insurance companies cover ten essential services, including hospitalization, maternity care, prescriptions, and mental health.
Many Republicans in the Freedom Caucus called the bill "Obamacare light" and voted no. Virtually all Democrats gave it a thumbs down.
Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pennsylvania, was a strong opponent of the bill.
"Congressman Dent's position would have remained the same. He would have voted not," Dent's office said in a statement. "Congressman Dent has said repeatedly this should not be the subject of artificial timelines or politically motivated deadlines. It should be done right."
New Jersey Republican Frank LoBiondo was another Republican holdout.
"I planned to vote no today on this specific Obamacare replacement bill, but it is not a declaration that Obamacare should stay," LoBiondo said in a statement. "It shouldn't. Obamacare has failed on a host of key metrics promised to South Jersey residents and I remain committed to repeal.
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a local Republican, also said no. The Democrats in the Tri-State area also would have been no votes.
Ryan didn't give a timeline for another possible go at health care.
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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said it was "pretty exciting" for Democrats to see the bill fail.
"Yesterday our anniversary [of Obamacare], today a victory for the Affordable Care Act, more importantly, for the American people," Pelosi said.
Pelosi said the legislation was more of a tax break for the wealthy than a health care bill.
