Lawmakers on two key House committees will debate the Republican Party’s newly released bill to repeal Obamacare Wednesday in simultaneous sessions that could extend late into the night and possibly into the morning.
Democrats are preparing to flood their colleagues across the aisle with a long list of amendments to the legislation. While most of the Democratic amendments are expected to fail, Wednesday offers supporters of Obama’s Affordable Care Act an opportunity to force Republicans to take formal positions on thorny healthcare issues.
One Democratic committee aide said the intent is to “make some Republicans take some really tough votes” that are “revealing” about GOP’s priorities on health care.
The bill has already drawn criticism from rank-and-file lawmakers, powerful conservative groups and key senators. Trump Tuesday vowed to throw his full support behind the effort, saying he is “proud” to support a GOP-authored plan to replace Obamacare and told members behind closed doors that he would support it “100%,” according to sources in a meeting between Trump and House Republicans at the White House.
But he warned lawmakers of the high-stakes nature of the effort, citing a potential electoral “bloodbath,” a member present said.
The Energy and Commerce Committee, headed by GOP Chairman Greg Walden and Democratic ranking member Frank Pallone, has jurisdiction over Medicaid. The Ways and Means Committee, headed by GOP Chairman Kevin Brady and Democratic ranking member Richard Neal, has jurisdiction over tax credits.
Both issues are central to the ongoing debate on overhauling the current health care system.
The GOP legislation unveiled on Monday would get rid of Obamacare’s individual mandate and put in place refundable tax credits for individuals to purchase health insurance. It also proposes restructuring Medicaid and defunding Planned Parenthood.
The bill looks to preserve some of the more popular elements of Obamacare, including protections for people with pre-existing conditions (though insurers would be allowed to charge higher premiums to individuals whose coverage has lapsed) and letting children stay on their parents’ insurance plans until the age of 26.
The sessions begin at 10:30 a.m. ET.