Three more Republican senators announced their opposition to the Senate health care bill Tuesday, bringing the total number of defectors to nine.
Republicans Jerry Moran of Kansas, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Rob Portman of Ohio issued statements of opposition soon after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced leadership would postpone the vote until after the July 4 recess. The GOP leadership was pressed into the postponement following significant internal opposition.
Three GOP Senators had stated definitively that they would vote against the bill in its current form as of the postponement, but that number quickly multiplied Tuesday.
Moran announced his opposition to the bill via Twitter after reportedly facing significant pressure from constituents wary of the bill’s significant cuts to Medicaid.
The Senate healthcare bill missed the mark for Kansans and therefore did not have my support.
— Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) June 27, 2017
Portman, who has previously voiced concerns about the fledgling Senate Obamacare repeal, expressed his outright opposition to the bill in a joint statement with Capito Tuesday afternoon.
“I continue to have real concerns about the Medicaid policies in this bill, especially those that impact drug treatment at a time when Ohio is facing an opioid epidemic,” Portman said.
Capito echoed Portman’s concerns, citing decreased funding for drug treatment and cuts to Medicaid as a major obstacle preventing her support of the bill.
“As drafted, this bill will not ensure access to affordable health care in West Virginia, does not do enough to combat the opioid epidemic that is devastating my state, cuts traditional Medicaid too deeply, and harms rural health care providers,” she said.
The GOP senators statements of opposition came one day after the Congressional Budget Office released a report on the bill, which indicated it would result in 22 million more uninsured people by 2026 than under current law. (RELATED: Reports 23 Million Americans Will Lose Health Care Are WAY Off)
Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Dean Heller of California, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Mike Lee of Utah and Ted Cruz of Texas have also stated their opposition to the Senate’s ObamaCare repeal bill in its current form.
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