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U.S. NEWS Saturday 15 July 2017
Trump, administration press Republicans to back health bill

Trump’s team tried winning The bill would halt the ex-
over Republican Nevada tra money Obama’s law
Gov. Brian Sandoval, who’s provides for states that
said GOP proposals to cut expand Medicaid, which
the Medicaid health care Nevada has used to add
program for low-income 200,000 beneficiaries to its
people would unaccept- program, and curtail its fu-
ably hurt the state. Sen. ture growth.
Dean Heller, R-Nev., facing Sandoval said he expected
a difficult re-election battle to meet privately with Vice
next year, has taken the President Mike Pence and
same stance, and Republi- Health Secretary Tom Price
cans believe one pathway at governors’ meetings he
to Heller’s vote is through is attending in Providence,
the popular governor. Rhode Island. He said he’d
Sandoval told The Associat- already heard from both
ed Press that McConnell’s men. Further complicating
latest measure has Medic- McConnell’s effort, Ohio
aid cuts that remained “a GOP Gov. John Kasich
big concern for me.” He called the revised measure
said the bill had money “still unacceptable,” large-
states could use to miti- ly because of its Medicaid
gate those reductions that cuts. That’s a concern also
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., left, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., right, talk while walking to a meeting “could be a good thing,” voiced by another Senate
on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump and other administration officials lobbied but said he needed more holdout, Ohio Republican
Republicans Friday from both sides of the Atlantic to keep the Senate GOP’s reworked health care information. Rob Portman.q
bill from crashing. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Continued from front would mean federal mon-
ey for states including Loui-
McConnell, R-Ky., refash- siana and Alaska — home
ioned the legislation to at- to four GOP senators.
tract GOP votes, two weeks Fifty of the 52 Republican
after retreating on an initial senators must back the bill
version that would have in an initial vote McConnell
died for lack of Republican plans for next week or, fac-
support. The new package ing solid Democratic oppo-
added language letting in- sition, it will lose. GOP Sens.
surers sell discount-priced Susan Collins of Maine and
policies with minimal cov- Kentucky’s Rand Paul have
erage aimed at winning said they’ll vote “no,” leav-
over conservatives, and re- ing McConnell no wiggle
vised funding formulas that room.

Top House Republican says

budget plan to move ahead

By ANDREW TAYLOR proposed.
Associated Press Earlier divisions have been
WASHINGTON (AP) — resolved between GOP
House Republicans are defense hawks and the
moving ahead with their party’s tough-on-spend-
long-overdue budget ing wing. The Pentagon
blueprint, even as divisions emerged a big winner with
between moderates and a $30 billion increase over
conservatives over cutting Trump’s budget, but divi-
programs like food stamps sions remain between tea
threaten passage of the party forces and Republi-
measure. can moderates.
Passing the measure is a The current holdup involves
prerequisite to GOP efforts whether to use Washing-
to overhaul the tax code, ton’s arcane budget pro-
a top priority of President cess to force cuts to man-
Donald Trump and con- datory programs, such as
gressional Republicans. food stamps or pension
Majority Leader Kevin Mc- benefits for federal workers.
Carthy, R-Calif., said Friday Tea party lawmakers are
the House Budget Com- demanding spending cuts
mittee will vote next week from mandatory programs
on the plan, which would to make up for increased
spend far more money spending on the Pentagon.
next year than Trump has q