House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Tuesday that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., ended Republicans' best opportunity to repeal Obamacare with his "no" vote in July 2017.
"The House Republicans passed the biggest entitlement reform package ever when we passed our healthcare bill. Unfortunately, somebody did this (gave a thumbs-down) instead of that (a thumbs-up) in the Senate, and it didn't pass," Ryan said Tuesday on Fox Business' "Mornings With Maria."
McCain voted the bill down in a dramatic entrance onto the Senate floor in July 2017, which led to the bill failing 51-49, CNN reported.
In the Tuesday interview, Ryan said Republicans must work together on entitlement reform.
"We have got to get our other partners in government to be willing to do the kind of entitlement reform that we're willing to do in the House," Ryan said.
The Trump administration's budget released Monday renews calls for repealing Obamacare.
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