“Republican governors can make or break congressional Republicans' latest attempt to repeal Obamacare. And on Tuesday, a bipartisan group of 10 governors may have just seriously damaged a repeal bill's prospects.
The governors, five of them Republican or Republican-leaning, sent a letter to congressional leadersurging them not to support repeal legislation championed by GOP Sens. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (La.). At least three other GOP governors who didn't sign the letter are opposed to the repeal bill. Even though the bill dismantles Obamacare and gives states near-universal power to set up health insurance programs, it doesn't hand the states much money to do that.
“We ask you to support bipartisan efforts to bring stability and affordability to our insurance markets,” the letter says, referring to bipartisan talks in the Senate to stabilize, not erase, key parts of Obamacare.”
Notably, Lisa Murkowski’s Republican Governor, Bill Walker signed the letter…
September 19, 2017
The Honorable Mitch McConnell Majority Leader United States Senate 317 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Charles E. Schumer Minority Leader United States Senate 322 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Majority Leader McConnell and Minority Leader Schumer:
As you continue to consider changes to the American health care system, we ask you not to consider the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson amendment and renew support for bipartisan efforts to make health care more available and affordable for all Americans. Only open, bipartisan approaches can achieve true, lasting reforms.Chairman Lamar Alexander and Ranking Member Patty Murray have held bipartisan hearings in the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and have negotiated in good faith to stabilize the individual market. At the committee’s recent hearing with Governors,there was broad bipartisan agreement about many of the initial steps that need to be taken to make individual health insurance more stable and affordable. We are hopeful that the HELP committee, through an open process, can develop bipartisan legislation and we believe their efforts deserve support.We ask you to support bipartisan efforts to bring stability and affordability to our insurance markets. Legislation should receive consideration under regular order, including hearings in health committees and input from the appropriate health-related parties. Improvements to our health insurance markets should control costs, stabilize the market, and positively impact coverage and care of millions of Americans, including many who are dealing with mental illness, chronic health problems, and drug addiction.
We look forward to continuing to work with you to improve the American health care system.