Rep. Pete Sessions, chairman of the House Rules Committee, on Wednesday predicted that the House GOP’s health care bill repealing parts of Obamacare will indeed come up for a vote on Thursday and said it can pass the House.
“As you know, this was a compromise bill. This was not the one we originally started with, nor was it the one I wanted,” Mr. Sessions, Texas Republican, said on CNN’s “New Day.”
“But just because it’s not what I want doesn’t mean that it’s not two-thirds of a good bill that has then become a compromise material that we’re going to have to work on,” he said. “So I believe we can pass it. Is it better than what we have today? Absolutely.”
He said he doesn’t expect the Thursday vote to be postponed. GOP leadership is still in the process of rounding up votes, and Republicans can afford to lose no more than 21 members assuming all Democrats vote against it.
“Thursday’s definitely the day,” he said.
“Will it save the American health care system? Yes. Is it going to be something we’re going to have to work with for quite some time? Yes also,” he said.
The legislation will come before Mr. Sessions’ committee on Wednesday, where additional changes could be offered, before the anticipated floor vote on Thursday.
Mr. Sessions said that after House passage, the bill would then go to the Senate and then to a conference to iron out the differences between the two versions.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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