Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, on Wednesday told CNN it was disappointing the bipartisan healthcare effort was halted after House Speaker Paul Ryan and the White House backed the measure being pushed by Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., CNN reported.
"It's disappointing that this bipartisan effort – which should be our approach – was not allowed to proceed to conclusion," she said.
The Senate in July defeated an effort to pass legislation to gut major portions of Obamacare, and governors at a hearing before the Senate health committee earlier this month told Congress and President Donald Trump to get their act together to strengthen Obamacare and stabilize the individual marketplace.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., the Republican chairman of the committee, said then he would work with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and other senators to come up with a bipartisan healthcare bill.
But Ryan and the White House said Tuesday they would not back the plan, mainly because they were concerned Democrats were not willing to bend enough. The stabilization bill would have continued to provide Obamacare subsidies while giving states more flexibility.
"I am disappointed that Republican leaders have decided to freeze this bipartisan approach and are trying to jam through a partisan Trumpcare bill," Murray said in a statement per CNN, "but I am confident that we can reach a deal if we keep working together – and I am committed to getting that done."
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