Club for Growth backs repeal-only ObamaCare option

The conservative Club for Growth on Tuesday is announcing its support for the new Senate GOP plan to vote on legislation to repeal ObamaCare, with replacement measures to follow later.

On Monday evening, when it became clear that a bill to repeal and replace ObamaCare lacked sufficient Republican support, President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called for senators to vote on repeal only. 

“Club for Growth applauds Leader McConnell’s promise to bring the 2015 Obamacare repeal bill before the Senate,” Club for Growth President David McIntosh said in a Tuesday statement.

“While the stories have already been written placing a nail in the coffin of repealing Obamacare, Club for Growth is not willing to retreat. Here’s to hoping that the third time’s the charm.”

{mosads}

McConnell said after the Senate’s healthcare bill collapsed that the upper chamber will try to separate the ObamaCare repeal and replacement legislation.

“In the coming days, the Senate will vote to take up the House bill with the first amendment in order being what a majority of the Senate has already supported in 2015 and that was vetoed by then-President Obama: a repeal of Obamacare with a two-year delay to provide for a stable transition period,” McConnell said in a statement. 

The 2015 ObamaCare repeal bill passed the Senate 52-47, with Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) and then-Sen. Mark Kirk (Ill.) being the only Republicans to oppose it. 

McIntosh said the 2015 healthcare legislation is Republicans’ best option, even though it has flaws.

“While short of perfection — the 2015 legislation leaves several Obamacare regulations in place — it is the best option Republicans currently have to begin to repeal Obamacare,” McIntosh said.

“And this should be a slam dunk. After all, Senate Republicans already passed this legislation once.”

The only difference now is that Republicans in 2015 could “hide behind” former President Obama’s veto, McIntosh said.

Now that there is a Republican in the White House, members of the GOP will be “forced to reveal their true colors,” he added.

“It was easy for moderate Republicans to grandstand and regurgitate fiery political rhetoric when they knew repeal efforts would go nowhere, but now they will have to do something politicians don’t often do,” McIntosh said.

“And that is keep their promises.”

Another conservative group, FreedomWorks, also encouraged senators to remember the promises they made to the American people while campaigning.