Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen reiterated her no vote for the American Health Care Act, saying the only reason the count was set for Thursday because it fell on the seventh anniversary of the Affordable Care Act's signing into law by former President Barack Obama.
"The only reason that they wanted the vote on Thursday is because it's the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, passing," the Florida Republican told CBS Miami. "Who cares about that?
"We should have a well-thought-out deliberative process," she said. "But, then again, this is Congress.
"We are never going to get that."
House Republican leaders postponed a vote on the healthcare plan, amid opposition from members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and moderate GOP members, and after intense lobbying by President Donald Trump.
A vote was expected to be scheduled for Friday morning.
Ros-Lehtinen, 64, who was first elected to the House in 1989, is a member of the caucus. She said earlier this month she would oppose the proposal.
"This bill has been rushed," she told the Miami TV station. "It was filed one day; marked up in an important committee two days later — and we still haven't seen the text."
She slammed White House efforts to only negotiate with only conservatives within the caucus, not other members.
"I just can't believe it," Ros-Lehtinen said. "There are so many more members who are moderate, or center, or not as conservative as the Freedom Caucus, but we are not riding the train.
"They're the engineers. I'm astounded."
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