Jun 30, 2017
Conservative groups aren't happy with Senate health care bill
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Susan Walsh / AP
Several conservative groups attacked the Senate health care bill on a call with reporters Friday morning, saying it doesn't keep the GOP's promise of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act.
While some conservatives on the call endorsed the strategy — tweeted by President Trump this morning — of repealing first and replacing others, while others said an amendment being pushed by Sen. Ted Cruz would make the bill palatable.
Why this matters: The divide among Republicans about how to best handle health care seems to be growing, egged on by both Trump and conservatives like Cruz and Sen. Rand Paul.
What they said:
- David Bozell, president of ForAmerica: "This draft bill is not what was promised...Republicans have lost their base with this bill...We know Sens. Cruz, [Mike] Lee and Paul are on the right track."
- Andy Roth, vice president of Club for Growth: "The entire problem with the House bill and the Senate bill is full repeal was never considered…moderate Republicans have fundamentally lied to voters about their real position."
- Ken Cuccinelli, president of the Senate Conservatives Fund: The base wants repeal. "That's not what [Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants, but it's what he promised."
- Jason Pye, director of public policy at FreedomWorks: "We appreciate the president's tweet this morning," and the Senate bill is "a service patch to Obamacare."
- Jim DeMint: "If the Republicans do not repeal this in some reasonable, credible way, I think it'll be very divisive to the party long term."
