Ted Cruz (above) and three other conservative GOP lawmakers have indicated that they will not vote for the current Senate leadership’s healthcare bill as written.
The GOP can only lose two members of their 52-senator caucus in order to pass Trumpcare. In a 50-50 outcome, Vice President Mike Pence would provide the tie-breaking vote.
RELATED: Donald Trump Clucks After House GOP Passes Trumpcare Bill That Will Devastate Millions of Americans: WATCH
According to CNN, in a joint statement Cruz, Paul Rand, Ron Johnson and Mike Lee said:
“Currently, for a variety of reasons, we are not ready to vote for this bill, but we are open to negotiation and obtaining more information before it is brought to the floor.
“There are provisions in this draft that represent an improvement to our current healthcare system, but it does not appear this draft as written will accomplish the most important promise that we made to Americans: to repeal Obamacare and lower their health care costs.”
A horrific metaphor for Trumpcare: this disabled woman literally being ripped from her wheelchair. #StopTrumpcare pic.twitter.com/F5kmz8rnCv
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) June 22, 2017
In a separate statement, Cruz added that in its current format, the bill “does not do nearly enough to lower premiums.”
“That should be the central issue for Republicans,” Cruz added, “repealing Obamacare and making healthcare more affordable. Because of this, I cannot support it as currently drafted, and I do not believe it has the votes to pass the Senate.”
Trumpcare 2.0 throws millions off healthcare, cuts Medicaid & weakens protections for pre-existing conditions. Just as bad as the House bill
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) June 22, 2017
A number of other GOP senators have not committed to voting for the new healthcare bill unveiled by Republican leaders on Thursday morning.
Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi expressed some disappointment that the new bill bears too many similarities to Obamacare. “We’re dealing with reality and getting to 50,” he stated.
While Senator John McCain (right) generally praised the bill, he added that he still needed more time to study it before deciding if he’d support it.
Senator Dean Heller expressed “serious concerns…about the bill’s impact on the Nevadans who depend on Medicaid.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated that the Congressional Budget Office scoring of the bill won’t be released until next week.
Elizabeth Warren has called Trumpcare “blood money” tax cuts for the wealthy.
Watch Warren, Bernie Sanders and react to the bill below.
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