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Health Bill Tests a Signature Senate Bond: John McCain and Lindsey Graham Health Bill Tests a Signature Senate Bond: John McCain and Lindsey Graham
(about 13 hours later)
WASHINGTON — “I always do whatever Lindsey Graham tells me to do,” Senator John McCain, the unpredictable Arizona Republican, said last week, while entertaining questions from a scrum of reporters in a Capitol hallway.WASHINGTON — “I always do whatever Lindsey Graham tells me to do,” Senator John McCain, the unpredictable Arizona Republican, said last week, while entertaining questions from a scrum of reporters in a Capitol hallway.
He was referring to his best Senate friend and frequent travel partner, Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who is so closely identified with Mr. McCain that when he arrived in the Senate after serving in the House, he was called “McCain’s mini-me.”He was referring to his best Senate friend and frequent travel partner, Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who is so closely identified with Mr. McCain that when he arrived in the Senate after serving in the House, he was called “McCain’s mini-me.”
But now the McCain-Graham bond is being tested.But now the McCain-Graham bond is being tested.
At issue is how Mr. McCain will vote on a health care measure that bears Mr. Graham’s name: the so-called Graham-Cassidy bill, which would dismantle the Affordable Care Act by taking money spent under the law and sending it to states in the form of block grants.At issue is how Mr. McCain will vote on a health care measure that bears Mr. Graham’s name: the so-called Graham-Cassidy bill, which would dismantle the Affordable Care Act by taking money spent under the law and sending it to states in the form of block grants.
The measure, sponsored by Mr. Graham and Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, is a last-ditch effort by Republicans to fulfill their seven-year-old promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Supporters say it is gaining traction in the Senate, but it remains several votes shy of passage. The measure, sponsored by Mr. Graham and Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, is a last-ditch effort by Republicans to fulfill their seven-year-old promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Supporters say it is gaining traction in the Senate, but it remains a few votes shy of passage.
Under the bill, millions could lose coverage, Medicaid would see the same magnitude of cuts that earlier repeal bills extracted, and insurers in some states could charge higher premiums to people with pre-existing conditions. The Senate Republican leadership has been taking the pulse of its caucus, trying to determine whether it can muster enough votes.Under the bill, millions could lose coverage, Medicaid would see the same magnitude of cuts that earlier repeal bills extracted, and insurers in some states could charge higher premiums to people with pre-existing conditions. The Senate Republican leadership has been taking the pulse of its caucus, trying to determine whether it can muster enough votes.
A clock is ticking. If the Senate does not vote by the end of next week, it will become nearly impossible to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The drive to kill the bill will lose the procedural protections that allow it to pass the Senate with a simple majority, rather than the 60 votes that would otherwise be needed to overcome a filibuster.A clock is ticking. If the Senate does not vote by the end of next week, it will become nearly impossible to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The drive to kill the bill will lose the procedural protections that allow it to pass the Senate with a simple majority, rather than the 60 votes that would otherwise be needed to overcome a filibuster.
The last time Republicans tried to repeal President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, Mr. McCain, who had just learned he had brain cancer, provided the dramatic thumbs-down vote that sank the so-called skinny repeal.The last time Republicans tried to repeal President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, Mr. McCain, who had just learned he had brain cancer, provided the dramatic thumbs-down vote that sank the so-called skinny repeal.
For weeks, Mr. McCain has been coy about his intentions — and he was again on Monday afternoon. He has said repeatedly that he is open to the Graham-Cassidy measure and that he would be more inclined to vote for it if Arizona’s Republican governor, Doug Ducey, supported it.For weeks, Mr. McCain has been coy about his intentions — and he was again on Monday afternoon. He has said repeatedly that he is open to the Graham-Cassidy measure and that he would be more inclined to vote for it if Arizona’s Republican governor, Doug Ducey, supported it.
“I am all in favor of giving the governors much more control over what happens in their states,” Mr. McCain said during the recent hallway conversation.“I am all in favor of giving the governors much more control over what happens in their states,” Mr. McCain said during the recent hallway conversation.
On Monday, Mr. Ducey gave the measure’s chances a boost, tweeting that he supports the Graham-Cassidy proposal as “the best path forward to repeal and replace Obamacare.” But that was not enough for Mr. McCain, who told reporters he was still making up his mind, in large part because he had lately been adamant that bills should go through what Congress calls “regular order” — meaning the committee process.On Monday, Mr. Ducey gave the measure’s chances a boost, tweeting that he supports the Graham-Cassidy proposal as “the best path forward to repeal and replace Obamacare.” But that was not enough for Mr. McCain, who told reporters he was still making up his mind, in large part because he had lately been adamant that bills should go through what Congress calls “regular order” — meaning the committee process.
“The governor came out in favor, which obviously has some impact, but the fact is we have also not gone through the regular order,” Mr. McCain said on Monday, saying that Republicans had had nine months to come up with a workable piece of legislation, and had failed to do so.“The governor came out in favor, which obviously has some impact, but the fact is we have also not gone through the regular order,” Mr. McCain said on Monday, saying that Republicans had had nine months to come up with a workable piece of legislation, and had failed to do so.
He said that he had spoken with Mr. Graham about the measure, but that Mr. Graham had not pressed him on it.He said that he had spoken with Mr. Graham about the measure, but that Mr. Graham had not pressed him on it.
“We don’t press each other,” Mr. McCain said. “He has made clear what he thinks is important to get passed.”“We don’t press each other,” Mr. McCain said. “He has made clear what he thinks is important to get passed.”
Mr. Graham and Mr. McCain are frequent travel companions; not long ago, shortly after Mr. McCain completed chemotherapy treatment for his cancer, they attended the international economics conference known as the Ambrosetti Forum in Italy. In an interview after they returned, Mr. Graham said he had been having difficulty adjusting to Mr. McCain’s diagnosis.Mr. Graham and Mr. McCain are frequent travel companions; not long ago, shortly after Mr. McCain completed chemotherapy treatment for his cancer, they attended the international economics conference known as the Ambrosetti Forum in Italy. In an interview after they returned, Mr. Graham said he had been having difficulty adjusting to Mr. McCain’s diagnosis.
“Nobody saw this coming; at least I didn’t,” Mr. Graham said. “It hit me hard. I can’t think of anything I’ve done of consequence, politically, that hasn’t been with John.”“Nobody saw this coming; at least I didn’t,” Mr. Graham said. “It hit me hard. I can’t think of anything I’ve done of consequence, politically, that hasn’t been with John.”