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U.S. NEWS Thursday 27 July 2017
GOP senators blink on a big chance to repeal ‘Obamacare’

others expressed the hope claim some credit for re-
that the House would swal- suscitating Senate talks af-
low a “skinny bill” whole, ter McConnell essentially
freeing Congress to move declared them dead last
on to other issues. week.
Either way, after weeks The president singled out
spent on the issue including Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski,
false starts and near-death who’d voted the day be-
experiences that have eat- fore against opening long-
en up months of Trump’s awaited debate on the
presidency, the realization legislation, and also op-
was dawning on senators posed a wide-ranging Mc-
that they may be unable to Connell amendment Tues-
pass anything more com- day that offered a replace-
plex for now than a lowest- ment for Obamacare and
common-denominator bill. went down to defeat.
“At the end of the day, “Senator @lisamurkowski of
we’ve got to start some- the Great State of Alaska
where. This is a start,” said really let the Republicans,
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. and our country, down yes-
The day’s proceedings be- terday. Too bad!” Trump
gan with prodding from wrote.
Trump, who’s proven im- “I don’t really follow Twit-
patient and inconsistent ter that much,” Murkowski
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, leaves the chamber as the Republican-run Senate rejected a GOP throughout the health remarked to reporters later
proposal to scuttle President Barack Obama’s health care law and give Congress two years to care debate and yet can with a shrug.q
devise a replacement, Wednesday, July 26, 2017, at the Capitol in Washington. President Donald
Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have
been stymied by opposition from within the Republican ranks.
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Continued from Front

By week’s end Republicans shape in talks among sena-
hope to reach agreement tors was a “skinny repeal”
among themselves, and that would abolish just a
eventually with the House, few of the key elements of
on some kind of repeal Obama’s law including its
and replacement for the mandates that everyone
Obama law they have re- purchase insurance and
viled for so long. its taxes that all GOP sena-
“We have to keep work- tors can agree to oppose.
ing hard,” said McConnell, But in a sign of the general
R-Ky. “We’re determined confusion, some said the
to do everything we can tactic was aimed chiefly
to succeed. We know our at moving the process for-
constituents are counting ward into the purview of
on us.” a committee of Senate-
One possibility taking House bargainers while

House GOP works to deliver

on border wall for Trump

By ANDREW TAYLOR and over during the cam-
Associated Press paign. Action this week
WASHINGTON (AP) — comes about three months
House Republican allies of after Democrats blocked
President Donald Trump an earlier attempt to de-
are intent on giving him a liver a down payment on
long-sought victory in Con- Trump’s project. But the Au-
gress by finally making a gust congressional recess is
down payment on his long- looming, and GOP leaders
promised wall along the are making a House win on
U.S. border with Mexico. the border wall a top prior-
They just don’t want to risk ity. “This week, we’re go-
an up-or-down vote on ing to take action on key
the idea that might risk an elements of the president’s
embarrassing loss on the strategy to secure our bor-
House floor. The $1.6 bil- ders, including the resourc-
lion cost will be covered es for a physical barrier,”
by taxpayers, not Mexico, House Speaker Paul Ryan,
as Trump promised over R-Wis., said on Tuesday.q