Cruz Works Behind Scenes to Change Obamacare Repeal Bill

Source: Real Clear Politics | March 10, 2017 | James Arkin

Sen. Ted Cruz’s unyielding opposition to the Affordable Care Act and his willingness to publicly take the fight to fellow Republicans helped cause a brief government shutdown four years ago. But now, with a Republican in the White House and repeal legislation working its way through Congress, the Texas Republican is keeping a low profile, putting his head down and working back rooms to influence the legislation.

Cruz has expressed serious concerns about the bill, the American Health Care Act, released by House Republicans this week and approved by two committees Thursday. His fellow Senate conservatives Rand Paul and Mike Lee have railed against it publicly – Paul dubbed it “Obamacare Lite” and Lee said it was a “step in the wrong direction.” The two joined members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus at a press conference Tuesday to amplify their opposition.

But while Cruz shares the same concerns, he was absent from that press conference, and has not been nearly as vocal in his criticism as his House or Senate colleagues. When a reporter asked if he agreed with the “Obamacare Lite” label, Cruz responded: “I’m not interested in labels; I’m interested in substance.”

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“I’m working hard to have these conversations with leaders in both houses and the administration rather than to litigate every one of these details in public,” Cruz told reporters Thursday after a meeting with a handful of GOP senators in Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office. “I am hopeful we can get the job done, and that is my objective.”

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“Barack Obama did not care what Congress had to say and did not listen to us. The only way to combat Obama was in the public arena,” Cruz said Thursday. “With a Republican president and an administration that wants to solve this problem, there is a lot of room for us to work together productively.”

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“I think it’s important that we get it right, and I spent much of yesterday having very productive conversations with senators, House members and multiple leaders in the administration about how we get the job done,” Cruz said. “The House bill that’s currently drafted I don’t believe will pass the Senate, but I believe we can fix it.”

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  • Consistent #14275

    EVERYDAY #14277

    Good luck, Senator. You have the misfortune of being far too interligent and rational for most of your colleagues.

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