The House Freedom Caucus says it remains opposed to a measure repealing and replacing ObamaCare despite the changes that are being considered by GOP leadership.
The caucus currently boasts about 40 members, but it remains unclear how many definitively reject the American Health Care Act (AHCA) and how many are undecided.
Yet sentiment in the caucus appears to run strongly against the legislation, with many of its members voicing skepticism over several major details and pushing to go further in repealing ObamaCare.
{mosads}President Trump is ramping up the pressure for passage, meeting earlier Friday with 13 members of the Republican Study Committee (RSC) who he said are now backing the measure.
“I want to let the world know: I am 100 percent in favor,” Trump said.
“These folks were no’s, mostly no’s, yesterday, and now every single one is a yes,” Trump added. “I want people to know ObamaCare is dead. It’s a dead healthcare plan.
“Only because everyone knows it’s on its last, dying feet, the fake news is trying to say good things about it, the fake media. There is no good news about ObamaCare. ObamaCare is dead.”
GOP sources told The Hill that the White House swayed RSC lawmakers by agreeing to give states the option to impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients and the option to block-grant Medicaid.
Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) said Friday that not all conservatives are warming to the bill despite the reported changes.
“Absolutely not true that conservatives have flipped to yes on the health care bill,” he tweeted. “It doesn’t repeal Obamacare. It remains a disaster.”
GOP leaders cannot afford more than 21 defections in the House during a full vote that is scheduled for Thursday.
The Hill’s Whip List currently states that Amash, a House Freedom Caucus member, is one of 16 Republicans in his chamber who would vote against the AHCA in its present form.