GOP sen: ‘We should not be voting’ on healthcare this week

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said Sunday the Senate should not be voting this coming week on its healthcare bill.

“We don’t have enough information. I don’t have the feedback from constituencies who will not have had enough time to review the Senate bill,” he said on NBC’s “Meet The Press.”

“We should not be voting on this next week,” he said.

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Johnson identified his opinion as “not a yes yet” on the Senate healthcare bill. 

The Senate’s healthcare legislation currently does not have enough support to pass, according to The Hill’s Whip List. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has little margin for error, as he can afford just two defections from his conference with all Democrats expected to oppose the bill. Vice President Pence could then be called in to break the tie.

Johnson also said Republicans should be reaching out to the Democrats to come up with a better plan. So far, no Democrat supports the legislation.

He added he would like to delay the healthcare vote.

“There is no way we should be voting on this next week,” he said.

He said he’s been encouraging leadership and the White House not to “rush” this process.

“Let’s have the integrity to show the American people what it is, show them the truth,” he said.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has been pushing to pass the bill before the July 4 recess, but Johnson is not the only Republican suggesting it’s an unlikely goal.

“It’s hard for me to see the bill passing this week,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) also said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”