McCain: I’m sure Russian hackers have seen GOP health care bill

PHOENIX — U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said he has yet to see a health care bill being worked on by Senate Republicans, but he has a good idea of who else has: Russian hackers.

Bloomberg reported that, when asked if he had seen the bill, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said, “No, nor have I met any American that has. I’m sure the Russians have been able to hack in and gotten most of it.”

McCain is part of a growing list of senators who are urging GOP leaders to pump the brakes on a health care bill that has not been seen by the opposing party or the public.

“The Senate is not a place where you can just cook up something behind closed doors and rush it for a vote,” U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said Sunday. “So the first step in this may be crafted among a small group of people, but then everyone’s going to get to weigh in.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has said he hoped to bring a bill to the floor for a vote within the next two weeks.

President Donald Trump has been eager for quick action, although in a closed-door luncheon with 15 GOP senators last week, he described a House-passed bill as “mean.” Trump said he wanted the Senate version to be “more generous,” according to congressional sources.

“It is going to take days and weeks to work through that in the Senate,” Rubio said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

GOP senators have been divided over pivotal questions about dismantling and replacing chunks of former President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.

These include disagreements over phasing out the Medicaid expansion, easing some of the law’s coverage requirements and reshaping subsidies the statute provides to millions of individuals buying policies

Republicans hold a narrow 52-48 majority in the Senate, meaning the party can only afford to have two senators oppose the repeal and replace bill for it to pass with Vice President Mike Pence casting the tie-breaking vote.

No Democrat is expected to support the repeal effort.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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