House GOP leader: ‘Everybody should get on board’ with healthcare bill

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) defended the Republican healthcare proposal Thursday, saying “everybody should get on board.”

“The president supports this plan, working for this plan. I think everybody should get on board,” McCarthy said on “Fox & Friends.”

The healthcare legislation, known as the American Health Care Act, is facing heavy resistance from conservatives who feel it does not go far enough in repealing ObamaCare. But McCarthy said the plan is the “only option” on the table.

“If you want to see ObamaCare replaced, this is the best opportunity to do it. If you want to see a replacement that lowers the premiums and actually gives greater quality of care, this is the only option we have going forward.” 

McCarthy also suggested a full repeal legislation, like the conservatives are pushing for, would not pass the Senate.

“If you think you can repeal ObamaCare, and think you are going to find 60 votes in the Senate, that blame is going to be all on us for the failure of ObamaCare. And I think that is the wrong way to go,” he said.

Conservatives have called for passing a 2015 bill, vetoed by Obama, that could pass the Senate with a simple majority under budget rules.

Many Senate Republicans, including Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas), Susan Collins (Maine) and Rand Paul (Ky.), have criticized the new proposal, saying that it either doesn’t repeal enough of ObamaCare or that the legislation can’t pass through the Senate.