Senate Republicans will finally unveil their healthcare bill to repeal and replace Obamacare on Thursday – and aim to vote on the measure next week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Tuesday.
"I expect to have a discussion draft on Thursday, and we will go to the bill, obviously, once we get a [Congressional Budget Office] score – likely next week," McConnell told reporters after a closed-door lunch, CBS News reported.
"It'll be about as transparent as it can be," McConnell vowed, asserting the measure would be "a profound positive improvement over the status quo."
He also said the public would have "plenty of time" to review the legislation before the Senate holds a vote, CBS News reported.
But some Republicans who were supposed to be part of the working groups designated with drafting the bill grumbled about a lack of transparency in the process itself, USA Today reported.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, groused in Facebook video he had not seen a draft despite being designated as a member of the working group to put a bill together.
"It has become increasingly apparent in the past few days that even though we thought we were going to be in charge of writing this bill within this working group, it's not being written by us," Lee said. "So, if you're frustrated by the lack of transparency in this process, I share your frustration — I share it wholeheartedly."
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, was a member of that same group and told local reporters he had not seen a draft either, USA Today reported.
"There's no bill at this point," he declared, the outlet reported. "I don't think you will find anybody who knows what's in it. If they do, I'd like to talk to them."
Politico reported McConnell faces a tough path within his own party to to get the 50 votes he needs to pass the bill.
If he leans toward conservatives like Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Lee, he risks losing a group of Senate moderates, including Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Portman and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.
Politico identifieD the 11 senators who might be the most difficult to line up behind a Senate bill as Sens. Tom Cotton R-Ark., Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Collins, Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., Dean Heller, R-Nev., Lee, Murkowski, Paul, Portman, and Pat Toomey, R-Pa.
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