Pence after GOP defections: ‘Trump and I are undeterred’ on ObamaCare repeal

Vice President Pence on Friday called on Republicans in the Senate to vote for current legislation meant to overturn ObamaCare, after a high profile defection by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) announced minutes before the speech left the bill’s fate hanging by a thread.

“A vote against Graham-Cassidy is a vote to save ObamaCare,” Pence told a crowd in Anderson, Ind., speaking of the legislation co-sponsored by GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (La.).

“It’s time for every member of the Republican majority to keep their word to the American people,” he said, without specifically calling out McCain for his opposition. 

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The bill is one of the GOP’s last ditch attempts to repeal and replace ObamaCare, a promise multiple Republicans ran on in the last election where they won the majority in the House and Senate.

“The Republican majority in Congress in particular was not elected to save ObamaCare, they were elected to repeal and replace it,” Pence said.

Congress has until Sept. 30 to pass the bill using a special budget procedure called reconciliation, which would require 50 votes plus a tie-breaker from Pence to pass the Senate.

McCain’s Friday announcement that he would opposed the bill, along with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul’s previously announced opposition, left the bill on a razor’s edge. Republicans cannot lose any more votes on the measure.

Pence called out “opposition” to the bill in a tweet that doubled down on the Trump administration’s determination to pass the legislation.

Several Republican senators are wary of the bill, such as Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, and could put the final nail in the coffin should they decide to vote “no.”

“I cannot in good conscience vote for the Graham-Cassidy proposal. I believe we could do better working together, Republicans and Democrats, and have not yet really tried,” McCain said in a statement Friday.

Pence also addressed tax reform in his speech and called on Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly, the incumbent from Indiana, to support tax reform efforts.

“Joe, let’s decide today we’re gonna get this tax cut done, and we’re gonna get it done together,” Pence said.

Donnelly, who joined Pence on stage at the event, is one of a number of vulnerable Democratic senators, such as Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), the White House is trying to woo to support the tax reform effort.