Senator John McCain Opposes GOP's Last-Ditch Bill To Repeal Obamacare
SACRAMENTO (CBS13/AP) - Sen. John McCain says he won't vote for the Republican bill repealing the Obama health care law. His statement likely deals a fatal blow to the last-gasp GOP measure in a Senate showdown expected next week.
The Arizona Republican says he can't back the partisan GOP measure because "we could do better working together, Republicans and Democrats."
He also says he can't back it without knowing the proposal's impact on insurance coverage and premiums. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said its estimates on that won't be ready next week.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul has said he'll oppose the bill and Maine Sen. Susan Collins says she's leaning against it.
Republicans control the Senate 52-48. All Democrats oppose the bill so three GOP "no" votes would doom it.
Trump tweeted Friday that Paul or other Republicans who vote against the bill will "forever ... be known as 'the Republican who saved ObamaCare.'"
Paul says top Republicans pushing the measure toward a showdown next week have been "tarting it up with special stuff" to try winning enough votes for it to pass.
He says he doesn't resent Trump's Twitter attacks on him for opposing the bill. He says, "I'm a big boy."
The proposal to scrap President Barack Obama's health care law would shift money and decision-making from Washington to the states. It nearly has the support it needs for the vote expected next week, a deadline that's focused the party on making a final run at the issue.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)