Politics

Here's Which Republicans Are Still on the Fence About Repealing Obamacare

March 21st 2017

On Thursday, the House of Representatives will vote on repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA also known as "Obamacare") and replacing it with the Republican alternative, the Affordable Health Care Act.

Paul RyanAssociated Press

The Congressional Budget Office released a report showing that millions would lose health insurance under the replacement bill — 14 million in the first year and 24 million over a decade. This, along with a host of other issues, have complicated the repeal and replace process for Republicans.

It’s gotten to the point where President Donald Trump and Sean Spicer have softly threatened Republican lawmakers: repeal Obamacare, or you'll lose your seats.

To repeal Obamacare, the measure has to earn a majority vote in the House.

The process of passing a new healthcare plan requires the majority of House of Representatives to agree.

It will take 216 votes to reach a majority, a slightly pared down figure since five seats of the 435-member body are vacant. Considering there are 237 Republicans in the house, this majority is a hypothetically easy target to reach — even though all Democrats are voting no.

However, if 21 Republican leaders dissent, the the ACA will not be repealed and then replaced. If it passes, it will head to the Senate.

Of GOP members in the House of Representatives, who is on the fence?

According to The Washington Post, 23 GOP members of congress oppose the measure while 26 GOP lawmakers are undecided on their vote.

These undecided lawmakers are:

  1. Rep. Mark Amodei (NV)

  2. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA)

  3. Rep. Andy Biggs (AZ)

  4. Rep. Jim Bridenstine (OK)

  5. Rep. Ken Buck (CO)

  6. Rep. Ryan Costello (PA)

  7. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (FL)

  8. Rep. Charlie Dent (PA)

  9. Rep. Ron DeSantis (FL)

  10. Rep. Scott DesJarlais (TN)

  11. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (FL)

  12. Rep. Daniel Donovan (NY)

  13. Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC)

  14. Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX)

  15. Rep. Paul A. Gosar (AZ)

  16. Rep. Walter B. Jones (NC)

  17. Rep. Steve King (IA)

  18. Rep. Darrin LaHood (IL)

  19. Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ)

  20. Rep. Patrick Meehan (PA)

  21. Rep. Steve Pearce (NM)

  22. Rep. Scott Perry (PA)

  23. Rep. Peter J. Roskam (IL)

  24. Rep. Dan Webster (FL)

  25. Rep. Ted Yoho (FL)

  26. Rep. David Young (IA)

Why are these lawmakers undecided?

Some representatives like Rep. Charlie Dent, Rep. Steve King, Rep. Ken Buck are concerned about how the Medicaid expansion will affect people, specifically vulnerable communities. The changes to Medicaid would eventually restrict and cap who can enroll under President Obama’s previous expansion.

Many representatives are concerned with how much more expensive the replacement will be, for both the government and citizens, and that it might become saddled by bureaucracy. Rep. Mark Amodei, Rep. Carlos Curbelo, Rep. Ron Desantis, and Rep. Ted Yoho find themselves in this territory. Yoho actually shared with PBS that, “Any time you give control to the government, it costs more money and they’re less efficient.”

But the reality is that many of them — like Rep. Peter J. Roskam, Rep. Andy Biggs, and Rep. Paul Gosar, Rep. Mario Diaz-Ballart, Rep. Jamie Herrera Butler, and Rep. Jeff Duncan — see the bill as unfinished and not able to replace the ACA. They worry that it would harm their constituents more than help.

Constituents are pushing these representatives to vote "no."

Be it from tweets or in-person meetings, many Americans are telling their members of Congress that the replacement is not adequate, which they've heightened by sharing personal stories of loss and worry.

When Rep. Scott Perry held a town hall last week, constituents were very vocal in their dislike of the bill.

Some are taking more drastic measures by launching advertising campaigns against the measure, as the conservative advocacy group Club For Growth recently did to target wary representatives.

As ATTN: previously reported, the Trump administration’s health care replacement plan would greatly affect women and greatly cut down Medicaid coverage.

Changes have been made to the replacement bill to woo votes. Regardless, Thursday will deliver Americans the next steps toward health care coverage.

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