Arizona congressmen say no Obamacare repeal could affect tax reform

PHOENIX — Three Arizona congressmen said Tuesday that Congress’ failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act could limit what the legislative body can do on tax reform.

In an opinion piece for the Washington Examiner, U.S. Reps. Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar and Trent Franks wrote that next year’s federal budget being written assumed Obamacare would be repealed.

Because the law remained in place — at least for the time being — projected savings from the repeal will not factor into the budget. Republicans were relying, in part, on those savings being used to offer tax cuts to Americans.

“Of course, Congress didn’t repeal Obamacare, so what we are left with is a budget that no longer reflects reality and which could limit our options for crafting pro-growth tax reform,” the opinion piece read.

The piece also said the party has spent nearly a year promising tax reform, but needs to release more specific information or a plan.

“We have good ideas and great intentions, but a severe lack of details to show the public and to inform our vote,” it read.

The Republican Party launched another attempt to repeal Obamacare this week. The latest effort was headed by Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina — one of U.S. Sen. John McCain’s closest friends in the Senate.

The 140-page bill would end the Medicaid expansion part of Obama’s law that has added about 400,000 Arizonans to the state’s health insurance program for the poor. It would also replace that and tax subsidies that help lower-income people buy private insurance with block grants to states.

A victory would let Trump and Republican leaders claim redemption on their “repeal and replace” effort. While the House approved its version of the bill in May, the drive collapsed when the GOP-led Senate defeated three proposals for scrapping Obama’s 2010 overhaul in July.

“This bill would keep our promise to the American people, and finally give us the health care we all deserve,” Cassidy told supporters Monday in an email.

The program has gained the support of Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, who McCain looked to for guidance on how to vote for a different Obamacare repeal bill back in July. Ducey had told McCain to vote yes on the effort, but McCain voted no anyway.

In a statement released on Monday, Ducey said the proposal is the “best path forward to repeal and replace Obamacare” and that he will work with Congress and the Trump administration to “give states more flexibility and more options moving forward.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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