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| Senate Republicans aim to end Obamacare mandate amid tax cuts | Senate Republicans aim to end Obamacare mandate amid tax cuts |
| (2 months later) | |
| Senators reveal plans in surprise announcement day after Donald Trump calls for repeal, as lawmakers seek revenue in effort to slash taxes | |
| Sabrina Siddiqui and agencies | |
| Tue 14 Nov 2017 21.42 GMT | |
| Last modified on Wed 15 Nov 2017 12.52 GMT | |
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| Senate Republicans announced on Tuesday that their tax plan will include a provision to repeal the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that most Americans have health insurance, tying together two of the party’s biggest legislative priorities. | Senate Republicans announced on Tuesday that their tax plan will include a provision to repeal the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that most Americans have health insurance, tying together two of the party’s biggest legislative priorities. |
| Senate Republicans, who have failed in multiple attempts to repeal and replace Barack Obama’s healthcare law this year, said targeting the ACA’s so-called “individual mandate” would help pay for an overhaul of the US tax code that seeks to slash corporate taxes and individual rates. | Senate Republicans, who have failed in multiple attempts to repeal and replace Barack Obama’s healthcare law this year, said targeting the ACA’s so-called “individual mandate” would help pay for an overhaul of the US tax code that seeks to slash corporate taxes and individual rates. |
| “We are optimistic that inserting the individual mandate repeal would be helpful; that’s obviously the view of the Senate finance committee Republicans,” the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, told reporters at a press conference on Capitol Hill. | “We are optimistic that inserting the individual mandate repeal would be helpful; that’s obviously the view of the Senate finance committee Republicans,” the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, told reporters at a press conference on Capitol Hill. |
| The surprise renewal of the failed effort to repeal the healthcare law’s mandate came a day after Donald Trump renewed pressure on Republican lawmakers to include the repeal in their tax overhaul legislation. | The surprise renewal of the failed effort to repeal the healthcare law’s mandate came a day after Donald Trump renewed pressure on Republican lawmakers to include the repeal in their tax overhaul legislation. |
| The move by Republicans in the Senate finance committee was also dictated by the Republicans’ need to find revenue sources for the vast tax-cut bill that calls for steep reductions and elimination of some popular tax breaks. | The move by Republicans in the Senate finance committee was also dictated by the Republicans’ need to find revenue sources for the vast tax-cut bill that calls for steep reductions and elimination of some popular tax breaks. |
| Targeting the mandate in the tax legislation would save an estimated $338bn over a decade that could be used to help pay for the deep cuts. | Targeting the mandate in the tax legislation would save an estimated $338bn over a decade that could be used to help pay for the deep cuts. |
| But it is unclear as yet whether including the provision will make the tax legislation harder for Republicans to pass. Republicans in the Senate has so far been unable to advance various bills to repeal the healthcare law, widely known as Obamacare, amid opposition within their own party. | But it is unclear as yet whether including the provision will make the tax legislation harder for Republicans to pass. Republicans in the Senate has so far been unable to advance various bills to repeal the healthcare law, widely known as Obamacare, amid opposition within their own party. |
| The ACA’s individual mandate requires most people to buy health insurance coverage or face a fine. Without being forced to get coverage, fewer people would sign up for Medicaid or buy federally subsidized private insurance. | The ACA’s individual mandate requires most people to buy health insurance coverage or face a fine. Without being forced to get coverage, fewer people would sign up for Medicaid or buy federally subsidized private insurance. |
| The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that repealing the requirement that people buy health coverage would mean 4 million additional uninsured people by 2019 and 13 million more by 2027. | The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that repealing the requirement that people buy health coverage would mean 4 million additional uninsured people by 2019 and 13 million more by 2027. |
| House Republicans are expected to pass their own tax bill on Thursday, which does not currently include repeal of the individual mandate. | House Republicans are expected to pass their own tax bill on Thursday, which does not currently include repeal of the individual mandate. |
| The Republican senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Tom Cotton of Arkansas had pushed for a repeal of the individual mandate in the tax bill, just one month after the latest effort to dismantle the 2010 healthcare law collapsed in the Senate before even reaching a vote. In July, three Republicans broke with the party to kill a separate measure that would have repealed and replaced the ACA in a dramatic late-night vote on the Senate floor. | The Republican senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Tom Cotton of Arkansas had pushed for a repeal of the individual mandate in the tax bill, just one month after the latest effort to dismantle the 2010 healthcare law collapsed in the Senate before even reaching a vote. In July, three Republicans broke with the party to kill a separate measure that would have repealed and replaced the ACA in a dramatic late-night vote on the Senate floor. |
| Senator Susan Collins of Maine, one of the Republicans who has thus far opposed her party’s ACA repeal efforts, swiftly raised concerns over merging healthcare and tax reform. | Senator Susan Collins of Maine, one of the Republicans who has thus far opposed her party’s ACA repeal efforts, swiftly raised concerns over merging healthcare and tax reform. |
| “I personally think that it complicates tax reform,” Collins said. | “I personally think that it complicates tax reform,” Collins said. |
| Democrats, who are uniformly opposed to ACA repeal and have attacked the Republican tax plans as favoring the wealthy, exploded with anger when word came of the latest gambit. | Democrats, who are uniformly opposed to ACA repeal and have attacked the Republican tax plans as favoring the wealthy, exploded with anger when word came of the latest gambit. |
| “Republicans just can’t help themselves. They’re so determined to provide tax giveaways to the rich that they’re willing to raise premiums on millions of middle-class Americans and kick 13 million people off their healthcare,” Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said in a statement. | “Republicans just can’t help themselves. They’re so determined to provide tax giveaways to the rich that they’re willing to raise premiums on millions of middle-class Americans and kick 13 million people off their healthcare,” Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said in a statement. |
| “Rather than learning the lessons from their failure to repeal healthcare, Republicans are doubling down on the same partisan strategy that would throw our healthcare system into chaos.” | “Rather than learning the lessons from their failure to repeal healthcare, Republicans are doubling down on the same partisan strategy that would throw our healthcare system into chaos.” |
| Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate finance committee, said the move “will cause millions to lose their healthcare and millions more to lose their premiums”. | Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate finance committee, said the move “will cause millions to lose their healthcare and millions more to lose their premiums”. |
| Congressional Republicans projected confidence earlier in the day about delivering the tax legislation, with Trump planning an in-person appeal to lawmakers ahead of a crucial House vote this week. | Congressional Republicans projected confidence earlier in the day about delivering the tax legislation, with Trump planning an in-person appeal to lawmakers ahead of a crucial House vote this week. |
| “This bill will make things better for hard-working Americans,” the House speaker, Paul Ryan, told reporters. | “This bill will make things better for hard-working Americans,” the House speaker, Paul Ryan, told reporters. |
| House Republican leaders rallied support with the rank-and-file at a closed-door meeting. Underscoring the sharp political stakes for Trump, who lacks a major legislative achievement after nearly 10 months in office, is his planned meeting with House Republicans on Thursday ahead of an expected vote on the legislation. | House Republican leaders rallied support with the rank-and-file at a closed-door meeting. Underscoring the sharp political stakes for Trump, who lacks a major legislative achievement after nearly 10 months in office, is his planned meeting with House Republicans on Thursday ahead of an expected vote on the legislation. |
| In the second day of work on the Senate version of the legislation, Democrats on the finance panel complained that the bill would enable US corporations with foreign operations and wealthy individuals and families to exploit loopholes to skirt millions in taxes. | In the second day of work on the Senate version of the legislation, Democrats on the finance panel complained that the bill would enable US corporations with foreign operations and wealthy individuals and families to exploit loopholes to skirt millions in taxes. |
| “It sure looks like a lot of gaming to me,” said Wyden. | “It sure looks like a lot of gaming to me,” said Wyden. |
| On Monday, a non-partisan analysis of the Senate bill showed it actually would increase taxes for some 13.8 million moderate-income American households. | On Monday, a non-partisan analysis of the Senate bill showed it actually would increase taxes for some 13.8 million moderate-income American households. |
| Promoted as needed relief for the middle class, the House and Senate bills would deeply cut corporate taxes, double the standard deduction used by most Americans and limit or repeal completely the federal deduction for state and local property, income and sales taxes. Republican leaders in Congress view passage of the first major tax revamp in 30 years as imperative for the party to preserve its majorities in next year’s elections. | Promoted as needed relief for the middle class, the House and Senate bills would deeply cut corporate taxes, double the standard deduction used by most Americans and limit or repeal completely the federal deduction for state and local property, income and sales taxes. Republican leaders in Congress view passage of the first major tax revamp in 30 years as imperative for the party to preserve its majorities in next year’s elections. |
| In the meantime, Trump tweeted into the debate on Monday by urging Republican leaders to get more aggressive in the tax legislation. He called for a steeper tax cut for wealthy Americans and the addition of the contentious healthcare change to the already complex mix. | In the meantime, Trump tweeted into the debate on Monday by urging Republican leaders to get more aggressive in the tax legislation. He called for a steeper tax cut for wealthy Americans and the addition of the contentious healthcare change to the already complex mix. |
| The Associated Press contributed to this report | The Associated Press contributed to this report |
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