President Donald Trump said Tuesday Republicans will give the American people "great healthcare" minutes after the Senate passed a crucial vote on healthcare reform.
"Now we move forward towards truly great healthcare for the American people," Trump said during a joint White House press conference with Saad Hariri, the prime minister of Lebanon. "We look forward to that. This was a big step."
The Senate passed a motion to proceed with debating a healthcare bill in the chamber 51-50. With two Republicans defecting and voting against it, Vice President Mike Pence was forced to cast the deciding vote.
Trump singled out Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who voted for the motion after traveling from his home state at the last minute despite a recent brain cancer diagnosis.
"I want to thank Sen. John McCain, very brave man," Trump said. "He made a tough trip to get here and vote.
"I want to congratulate the American people because we're going to give you great healthcare. We're going to get rid of Obamacare, which should have been terminated long ago. It's been a disaster for the American people."
Later during the press conference, Trump noted that coming to an agreement on healthcare reform is an uphill battle.
"Healthcare is always difficult because you have to weed a very, very narrow path like a quarter of an inch wide, right down the middle," he said.
"If you go a little too far right, you lose three people on the left. If you go a little too far left, you lose five people on the right. It is a very, very complex and difficult task."
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