Senate Republicans are clearly not happy with the steaming hot potato that House Republicans sent their way. The latest reports indicate that Senate Republicans will forgo public hearings on their healthcare repeal efforts and negotiate completely in secret.
This should come as no surprise. After all, ripping away coverage from millions, raising out-of-pocket costs for hardworking families, imposing an age tax on older Americans, and eliminating guarantees for pre-existing conditions is not only bad policy, it’s awful politics.
“Vulnerable House Republicans repeatedly used the Senate as an excuse for passing an indefensible repeal bill, showing just how little regard they have for the intelligence of the American people,” said DCCC Spokesman Tyler Law. “It’s likely that the Senate’s shady process and final bill will be just as bad – and that’s a huge political liability for House Republicans who were counting on a different outcome.”
- Martha McSally (AZ-02): “It’s gotta go through the Senate. This is the legislative process, it’s the sausage-making”
- Steve Knight (CA-25): “Knight said he has no idea what will happen to it or if it will dramatically be reshaped and returned to the House for approval” and “This is a good first step…”
- Ed Royce (CA-39): “That’s why I voted today to move the reform process forward.”
- Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48): “What we sent to the Senate may not satisfy everyone…”
- Darrell Issa (CA-49): “When Issa first tried to sidestep the question, saying ‘I voted to move that bill to the Senate,’ the crowd shouted him down”
- Mike Coffman (CO-06) “…clearly we have to get something – something has to get out of the House to the Senate…and so my hope is the Senate – so we still have a long ways to go with the legislation. The Senate I think will make big modifications of it. They’ll reflect on the CBO score.”
- Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25): “…I will work with our colleagues in the Senate as they consider the legislation.”
- Carlos Curbelo (FL-26): “I’ve gotten some strong assurances from Sen. Thune’s office and from Sen. Rubio’s office that there would be opportunities to enhance the bill…,” and “Before last week’s vote I received strong assurances that major improvements would be made in the Senate.”
- Rod Blum (IA-01) “‘This is not law yet,’ Blum explained to one constituent who was upset about his vote. He added that the Senate may yet change the legislation and “I always said the process was bad”.
- David Young (IA-03): “…moves this critical process forward to the Senate.”
- Peter Roskam (IL-06): “Let’s see what the Senate comes up with.”
- Randy Hultgren (IL-14) “…moves deliberations to the Senate for consideration. I have faith that the Senate will keep their eyes on what matters most for residents of Illinois…”
- Bruce Poliquin (ME-02): “I expect the U.S. Senate to make further changes to this bill as it moves on from the House and I welcome those changes. I hope it comes back stronger and better. This simply moves this issue on to the Senate.”
- Fred Upton (MI-06): “I am convinced that the Senate, they’re not going to take up the House bill. They’re going to start from scratch.”
- Mike Bishop (MI-08) “Once the Senate provides its ideas for untangling the mess of the last seven years, we will secure even more free-market priorities and protections.”
- Erik Paulsen (MN-03): “The legislation passed last week is certainly not the end of the road but instead a first step…”
- Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11): “I voted to move this bill to the U.S. Senate, which will have the opportunity to improve this legislation significantly.”
- John Faso (NY-19): “…my anticipation is that certain changes are going to be made if it goes to the Senate and then comes back to us“
- Elise Stefanik (NY-21): “This is the first part of a legislative process, and I’ve worked with the Senate numerous times.”
- Steve Chabot (OH-01) “The step taken last Friday in the House is of course only a first step. A big step, but only a first step. The Senate will now consider their own plan, which could be similar to the House plan, or very different indeed.”