Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) released a statement opposing House Speaker Paul Ryan’s American Health Care Act, or what is now being referred to by most conservatives and Republicans party-wide as “Obamacare-lite.”
Lee said in a statement:
This is not the Obamacare repeal bill we’ve been waiting for. It is a missed opportunity and a step in the wrong direction. We promised the American people we would drain the swamp and end business as usual in Washington. This bill does not do that. We don’t know how many people would use this new tax credit, we don’t know how much it will cost, and we don’t know if this bill will make health care more affordable for Americans. This is exactly the type of back-room dealing and rushed process that we criticized Democrats for, and it is not what we promised the American people. Let’s fulfill our Obamacare repeal promise immediately and then take our time and do reform right. Let’s pass the 2015 repeal bill that Republicans in both houses of Congress voted for and sent to the White House just 15 months ago. Once Obamacare has been properly sent to the dustbin of history then we can begin a deliberative, open, and honest process to reform our nation’s health care system.
With Lee and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) both publicly against it, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) saying previously that he would oppose legislation that does not fully repeal and replace Obamacare, the bill is already in serious trouble and would be unlikely to pass the U.S. Senate without Democratic support. No Democrats are expected to support the legislation, and with only 52 Republicans in the Senate, the bill could be a complete non-starter.
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), a member of Senate GOP leadership, has already said he fears the bill may not have enough Republican support to pass Congress.