House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows said that the Senate Obamacare repeal bill will need amendments to gain the support of conservatives in the lower chamber.
The discussion draft released by Senate Republicans Thursday dropped language allowing states to waive out of the Affordable Care Act’s insurance regulations, which was a key factor in getting conservatives on board with the legislation that passed the House in May.
“Just in further reading, it does appear that there will have to be some amendments in order to gain enough conservative support to pass the House,” Meadows told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “I think the biggest concerns are still leaving too much of the Obamacare regulations in place, which would not drive down premiums enough.”
Despite using the reconciliation process — which only requires a simple majority to pass the upper chamber — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may have a difficult time getting the votes he needs to send the measure back to the House.
GOP Sen. Rand Paul has already expressed hesitations about the Senate bill, telling MSNBC “it looks like we are keeping Obamacare.”
“I would be surprised if Senator Cruz, Senator Paul and Senator Lee would find enough reform in the discussion draft to support it,” Meadows said.
While major concerns remain, Meadows said he’s hopeful they will be able to come to an agreement on something the entire conference can get behind.
“I’m optimistic that as long as the Senate is not using this draft as a take it or leave it provision, you know, in quote a ‘binary choice’ that at least gives us the framework of finding some consensus,” he said.
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