Republican senators are expressing doubt on whether they will be able to pass a healthcare bill anytime soon, The Hill is reporting.
The Senate GOP was hoping to have a draft bill ready this week, but that now appears unlikely, the website noted.
"I don't see a comprehensive healthcare plan this year," Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., told WXII News.
Burr said the healthcare bill passed by the House is "not a good plan."
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, also has voiced concern about a healthcare bill passing the Senate.
"I don't know how we get to 50 (votes) at the moment," he told Reuters.
"But that is the goal. And exactly what the composition of that (bill) is, I'm not going to speculate about, because it serves no purpose," McConnell said.
NPR's Susan Davis noted: "Here's the reality: The GOP healthcare debate is stalled in Congress and its uncertainty has clogged up the legislative pipeline to (President Donald) Trump's desk."
And she added: "The motivation to act on healthcare is driven in part by the political discomfort over the party's failure to hand Trump any major legislative victories as Congress approaches the 2017 halfway mark. But if there is no fresh progress as talks roll on into June, the motivation may shift toward winnable legislative battles."
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., is convinced it would be easier for the Senate to focus on tax reform instead of healthcare,
"I think tax reform is an easier lift," he told radio host John Catsimatidis on "The Cats Roundtable."
"There are a number of pretty good proposals out there."
But at least one GOP senator remained hopeful of a healthcare bill being passed before the August recess.
"Oh, absolutely, we'll get it done by the end of July at the latest," Whip John Cornyn of Texas told KFYO radio.
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