Monday, June 19, 2017
Democrats plan to slow GOP effort to have ObamaCare vote by July 4
Senate
Republicans must make significant headway this week on efforts to
repeal ObamaCare before their self-imposed July 4 deadline -- as
Democrats plot ways to grind the chamber’s daily business to a halt to
protest the GOP plan and closed-door process.
“Doing this behind closed doors is actually not what we did,” said Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a member of the Democratic Party that in 2009 passed ObamaCare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act.
Democrats are upset that the GOP replacement bill is being drafted by 13 Republican senators and that leaders of the GOP-controlled Senate won’t allow Democrats to participate in the process.
The GOP-House passed its repeal bill in May. And the Senate intends to pass its version without a single Democratic vote -- by using a parliamentary process known as budget reconciliation.
How far Senate Democrats will go to slow the chamber’s day-to-day business, particularly hearings, remains unclear. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other members of his leadership team have declined to talk to Fox News about such plans.
However, Fox has confirmed that they intend to at least slow the process with extended speeches on the chamber floor, as first reported by Politico.
The pressure is on Republicans to repeal or at least fix ObamaCare.
President Trump and essentially every congressional Republican campaigned on a promise to replace the 2010 health care law, struggling under increasing premium costs while offering Americans fewer policy choices.
Republicans need 51 votes to pass the legislation and put the bill on Trump’s desk to sign.
However, they have only 52 senators, with several expressing concerns -- particularly those in poorer states -- about supporting a bill that could increase premium costs for tens-of-millions of Americans, as the House bill is projected to do.
Among them is Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul, who last week raised the issue of the emerging Senate bill including “new entitlement, like the House version, according to The Hill newspaper. One is a refundable tax credit to help Americans pay for their premiums. And the other is a so-called “stabilization fund” that would lower the cost of premiums.
Trump celebrated the House passing its version. And he appears encouraged by the Senate’s progress.
However, during a meeting with senators last week the president reportedly called the House version “mean” and suggested the upper chamber add more money to the bill, apparently to lower premium costs and cover more people.
But the Senate must also craft a bill that saves $113 billion to pass the measure by a simple majority, which gives them little room for such improvements.
“Doing this behind closed doors is actually not what we did,” said Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a member of the Democratic Party that in 2009 passed ObamaCare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act.
Democrats are upset that the GOP replacement bill is being drafted by 13 Republican senators and that leaders of the GOP-controlled Senate won’t allow Democrats to participate in the process.
The GOP-House passed its repeal bill in May. And the Senate intends to pass its version without a single Democratic vote -- by using a parliamentary process known as budget reconciliation.
How far Senate Democrats will go to slow the chamber’s day-to-day business, particularly hearings, remains unclear. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other members of his leadership team have declined to talk to Fox News about such plans.
However, Fox has confirmed that they intend to at least slow the process with extended speeches on the chamber floor, as first reported by Politico.
The pressure is on Republicans to repeal or at least fix ObamaCare.
President Trump and essentially every congressional Republican campaigned on a promise to replace the 2010 health care law, struggling under increasing premium costs while offering Americans fewer policy choices.
Republicans need 51 votes to pass the legislation and put the bill on Trump’s desk to sign.
However, they have only 52 senators, with several expressing concerns -- particularly those in poorer states -- about supporting a bill that could increase premium costs for tens-of-millions of Americans, as the House bill is projected to do.
Among them is Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul, who last week raised the issue of the emerging Senate bill including “new entitlement, like the House version, according to The Hill newspaper. One is a refundable tax credit to help Americans pay for their premiums. And the other is a so-called “stabilization fund” that would lower the cost of premiums.
Trump celebrated the House passing its version. And he appears encouraged by the Senate’s progress.
However, during a meeting with senators last week the president reportedly called the House version “mean” and suggested the upper chamber add more money to the bill, apparently to lower premium costs and cover more people.
But the Senate must also craft a bill that saves $113 billion to pass the measure by a simple majority, which gives them little room for such improvements.
Trump lawyer Sekulow: President has no knowledge of being investigated
Jay Sekulow, a member of President Trump’s legal team, said Sunday he has no knowledge of the president being the target of a federal probe, following Trump's recent statement suggesting that he is being investigated.
“The president has not been notified by anyone that he is under investigation,” Sekulow told “Fox News Sunday,” in a heated exchange with host Chris Wallace about whether Trump could be under investigation without knowing.
“You don’t know that he's not under investigation,” Wallace said.
Sekulow responded: “I can’t read minds.”
Sekulow also said that Trump’s tweet that led people to believe he was under investigation was in response to a Washington Post story in which unnamed sources said the president was being investigated.
The FBI and two congressional panels are investigating whether the Trump campaign or presidential transition team colluded with Russia during or after the 2016 White House race.
Before Trump fired James Comey as the FBI director, Comey told the president he was not a target in the agency investigation. The Post story suggests the FBI probe, now being led by special counsel Robert Mueller, includes whether Trump obstructed justice by firing Comey.
“Nothing has changed since Comey said the president is not a target,” Sekulow also said Sunday.
Sekulow said Trump has never accused Deputy Attorney General Rob Rosenstein of “doing anything wrong,” and has expressed no opinion about him.
'Nothing has changed since Comey said the president is not a target.'Rosenstein wrote a letter that seemed to support Trump firing Comey.
He told Congress last week that he would not fire Mueller “without good cause,” amid speculation Trump wanted to get rid of Mueller.
He also said he couldn't say whether Trump has discussed Mueller, citing attorney-client privileges.
Deputy AG Rosenstein May Recuse Himself from Russia Investigation
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein may be recusing himself from the DOJ’s Russia investigation.
Recent reports say that Rosenstein has told colleagues he might have to step away from the probe, but it is unclear why.
President Trump recently sent a tweet seemingly aimed at the Deputy AG, saying he is being investigated by the man who told him to fire the FBI Director.
Rosenstein drafted the letter for the basis of Comey’s firing and many believe he is now caught in the President’s cross-hairs because he appointed Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
Many say if Rosenstein recuses himself, then maybe Mueller should recuse himself as well.
Polls: Nominees Tied in Georgia’s Special Election
What’s being called the most expensive election in U.S. history is heating up in Georgia.
Republican Karen Handel and 30-year-old Democrat Jon Ossoff have spent a record $40 million on campaign ads.
Recent polls show they are neck-and-neck in the race to fill Health Secretary Tom Price’s old house seat.
Ossoff may have raised more money than Handel, but she has the support of President Trump, as well as Price and Agriculture Secretary and former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue.
Early voting is over, with election day on Tuesday.
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