House

Pelosi: GOP will need 215 votes to pass health bill

by Mike Lillis - 03/24/17 12:54 PM ET

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Friday that Republicans will need 215 votes to pass their ObamaCare repeal-and-replace legislation.

Pelosi said all but one Democrat — Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) — will be present to vote Friday afternoon, when the Republicans are scheduled to bring their healthcare overhaul bill to the floor.

The comments tamp down speculation that a handful of Democrats who have been absent in recent days might miss Friday’s vote, making it easier for GOP leaders to get the package across the finish line.

“Just one member [will be absent], our distinguished colleague Bobby Rush,” Pelosi told reporters in the Capitol.

“His wife passed away and her funeral is tomorrow. So she was very in the civil rights movement and affordable care for all Americans was very important to her, so we will be remembering her today and Bobby.

“But all the members who are here [will vote],” she added, “which is everyone else.”

The comments came as President Trump, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and other Republican leaders are struggling to find the support to pass their proposal dismantling ObamaCare through the lower chamber. The Republicans have made ObamaCare repeal a central campaign promise since the law was enacted in 2010, and Trump vowed to eliminate the “disastrous” law “on day one” of his presidency.

GOP leaders had initially scheduled a vote on their bill for Thursday, but entrenched opposition from a combination of conservative and moderate Republicans forced them to delay the process by a day. The vote is currently scheduled for Friday afternoon, although with GOP leaders still struggling to find enough support, there’s increasing speculation the vote could be pushed once more.

Shortly after noon, Ryan went to the White House to update the president on the dilemma.

Rep. Steny Hoyer (Md.), the Democratic whip, said every Democrat will be voting against the Republicans’ bill, meaning GOP leaders will have to wrangle the 215 votes from their own ranks.

“Republicans are going to figure out on their own how many many votes they need,” he said.

Tags Paul Ryan