Trump says GOP must pass health bill or risk losing seats

Donald Trump warned House Republicans in a closed-door meeting Tuesday that many of them could lose their seats in the 2018 elections if they don’t pass their bill to replace Obamacare.

The president’s message came a day after GOP leaders made several changes to their measure aimed at wooing reluctant Republicans, including limits to Medicaid enrollment and an accelerated phaseout of some taxes.

“Support it!” Trump told lawmakers, according to Representative Walter Jones of North Carolina, who said he still opposes the measure. He said Trump’s remarks contained “nothing in detail, except politically it’s the right thing to do.” Trump didn’t take any questions from lawmakers.

Asked on his way into a closed-door GOP meeting whether they had the votes, Trump said, “I think so.” And Republican leaders voiced optimism that the new changes would put them over the top when the bill reaches the House floor Thursday. A member of the House vote-counting team said they’re getting closer to the 216 votes they need for passage.

“The president just came here and knocked the ball out of the park,” House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters Tuesday. “He knocked the cover off the ball.” He called the moment a “rendezvous with destiny” for Republicans.
But House conservatives said late Monday that they didn’t get the changes they were looking for and could block passage.

“Currently there are not enough votes to pass the legislation,” House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows said Monday night after a raucous caucus meeting. The group, which has opposed earlier versions, didn’t take an official position on the changes, but a spokeswoman said a whip count by the group showed it could defeat the bill.

Read more at Bloomberg,com....

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