OnPolitics Today: Republicans out to lunch on health care
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In remarks prepared for a meeting with Senators at the White House, President Donald Trump told Republicans: “We can repeal, but we should repeal and replace, and shouldn’t leave town” until the bill is complete. (July 19)
AP
President Trump enjoyed a nice midday meal Wednesday with 49 of 52 Republican senators. His message, two days after their health care plan collapsed: Get me a new health bill, stat.
“We shouldn’t leave town until this is complete, until this bill is on my desk,” Trump said, referring to an August recess.
The Senate majority leader, Republican Mitch McConnell, seemed less than confident. Even his backup plan, to simply repeal Obamacare without a replacement, looked doomed as of this week.
“It’s pretty obvious we’ve had difficulty in getting 50 votes,” he said.
And it’s pretty obvious this is OnPolitics Today, USA TODAY’s daily politics roundup. Subscribe here.
Trump really wants a win on health care. The CBO isn’t helping.
Even at Wednesday’s lunch, Trump seemed to distance himself from his party’s fate around health care, calling Republicans “they” and referring to his party’s legislation as “their” bill. Still, Trump promised on Twitter that the bill would “get even better at lunchtime.” Trump wants something he can frame as a victory, even as Democrats claim Republicans are now better off working with them — and not Trump — to improve the current law.
Oh, and by the way, that proposed repeal of Obamacare would leave 32 million uninsured, the CBO found. Premiums would go up, too.
Trump Jr. and Manafort slated to testify next week
President Trump’s son and former campaign manager will face a Senate panel next week to talk on ties to Russia. Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort are slated to speak with the Senate Judiciary Committee. Both men took a meeting last year at Trump Tower in hopes of getting Kremlin-linked dirt on Hillary Clinton. The Russian lawyer who met with the men said she’s willing to testify, too.
Trump’s voter fraud commission holds its first meeting. But why?
“Trump formed the commission after stating that up to 3 million to 5 million people voted fraudulently in the 2016 election, with no evidence to support it,” Heidi Przybyla explains. “While critics say the panel was created to justify Trump’s claim, civil and voting rights groups have more serious concerns about the supporting role the commission could play in new voting restrictions in GOP-controlled states.”
And by the way: Kris Kobach, vice chairman of the commission, said votes that won Trump the election are “absolutely” in doubt.
Supreme Court will let grandpas slip through Trump’s travel ban
The Supreme Court OK’d a previous order letting distant relatives of U.S. citizens, such as grandparents, enter the U.S. from the six Muslim-majority nations targeted by Trump’s travel ban. However, the court also blocked a ruling that increased the number of refugees allowed entry to the U.S. under the ban.
Elsewhere in politics:
- Push Trump off a cliff? Rosie O’Donnell sparks outrage
- Ivanka and Jared’s security clearance is under scrutiny
- House Intelligence Committee is worried about getting hacked
- Trump’s favorite Twitter topics: Fake news, Russia and Obamacare
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