McCain unsure if Trump understands complexities of Senate health bill
Jun 28, 2017, 5:55 PM | Updated: Mar 1, 2018, 4:01 pm
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
PHOENIX — U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told reporters Wednesday he is unsure if President Donald Trump has a firm grasp on all the nuances of the Senate health care bill.
McCain made his statement shortly after Trump indicated he was optimistic about the bill.
"I don't know," Sen. McCain says when asked if he thinks Pres. Trump understands the complexities of the Senate health care bill.
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) June 28, 2017
However, Trump also told reporters that getting approval of a bill will be “very tough.” But he predicted that Republicans will at least “get very close” and may “get it over the line.”
Republican leadership had hoped to have the Senate vote on the bill ahead of the July 4 recess, but that idea was all but ruled out earlier this week.
While Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has scrambled to get a deal together in hopes of a Friday vote, there was little evidence he would be able to get senators to agree to a new version of the legislation in such a short time span.
When asked if he thought the Senate would vote on a revised bill by the end of the week, he did not seem optimistic.
"Pigs could fly," Sen. McCain says when asked if a deal could be reached on the Senate health care bill by Friday.
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) June 28, 2017
McCain said a delayed vote on the bill would allow time to make changes, specifically portions about Medicaid.
Gov. Doug Ducey has urged McCain to work to protect parts of the state’s Medicaid system that he believes will be hurt by the Senate proposal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.