Jul 18, 2017 - Politics & Policy

Two GOP senators break ranks on health care, sinking bill for now

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Republican senators Mike Lee and Jerry Moran announced Monday night that they would vote "no" on a motion to proceed with the revised GOP health care bill, meaning as it stands the bill does not have the votes to move forward.

The next move is unclear but some conservatives, including House Freedom Caucus chairman Mark Meadows, are already calling for a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act, like the one Republicans passed under Barack Obama.

The previous "no" votes: Rand Paul and Susan Collins, with others on the fence. Mitch McConnell could only afford to lose two Republicans.

Lee's rationale: "In addition to not repealing all of the Obamacare taxes, it doesn't go far enough in lowering premiums for middle class families; nor does it create enough free space from the most costly Obamacare regulations."

From Moran's statement: The bill "fails to repeal the Affordable Care Act or address healthcare's rising costs."

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Axios

Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 12:45 p.m. ET: 30,838,610 — Total deaths: 958,090— Total recoveries: 21,088,552 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 12:45 p.m. ET: 6,777,026 — Total deaths: 199,352 — Total recoveries: 2,577,446 — Total tests: 94,211,463 — Map.
Politics: Testing czar on Trump's CDC contradictions: "Everybody is right" — Trump's health secretary asserts control over all new rules.
Education: What we overlooked in the switch to remote learning
Health: The dwindling chances of eliminating COVID-19.
World: Guatemalan president tests positive for COVID-19 — The countries painting their pandemic recoveries green.

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Orion Rummler

Updated 1 hour ago - Health

7 states set single-day coronavirus case records last week

Data: Compiled by Axios; Map: Danielle Alberti/Axios

Seven states set new highs last week for coronavirus infections recorded in a single day, according to the COVID Tracking Project and state health departments. Wisconsin and Nebraska surpassed records set the previous week.

Why it matters: Problem spots are sticking in the Midwest, although the U.S. is moving in the right direction overall after massive infection spikes this summer.

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Axios

2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Murkowski says she opposes voting on Ginsburg replacement before election

Photo: Greg Nash/Pool/Getty Images

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said in a statement Sunday that she opposes holding a Senate confirmation vote on President Trump's nomination to replace Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before the election.

Why it matters: Murkowski joins Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) as one of two Republican senators who have thus far said that they do not support rushing through a confirmation vote before November. Two more defections would likely force Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to resort to holding a vote in the lame-duck session, which neither Murkowski nor Collins have addressed.