Trump on the health care vote: ‘I hope that it’s going to all work out’
WASHINGTON — President Trump drummed up support for the GOP health care bill and expressed optimism it will pass a House floor vote in a Tuesday night speech before an audience of Republican members of Congress, donors and loyalists.
Among other things, Trump predicted “great surprises” and said he hopes “it’s going to all work out” when he discussed the Obamacare repeal bill, which has faced opposition from the Republican Party’s conservative and moderate wings. Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan face a major test on Thursday, when the House is set to vote on the legislation embraced by the party leadership.
“On Nov. 8, the American people voted for historic change, and they also voted for serious action by delivering the House, the Senate and the White House. The American people gave us clear instructions. It’s time to get busy, get to work and to get the job done,” Trump said at the National Republican Congressional Committee March Dinner. “That legislative effort begins with Thursday’s crucial vote. And it really is a crucial vote for the Republican Party and for the people of our country to finally repeal and replace the disaster known as Obamacare. That’s what it is, a disaster.”
Trump said Obamacare has led insurance premiums to rise “double digits and even triple digits,” an oft-repeated claim that has been partially disputed by PolitiFact. The president said he witnessed issues with the current health care program firsthand during his recent campaign rallies and cited the crowds he drew as evidence.
“I was in Tennessee four nights ago. They’ve lost half the state. The insurance companies are gone and they’re going to lose the next one pretty soon from what they say,” Trump said, adding, “Last night in Kentucky we had a tremendous crowd, 25,000 people, more. And a similar crowd in Tennessee, by the way, packed with thousands of people inside. They couldn’t get them into these massive arenas.”
Trump argued that the crowds are proof of “something going on that’s really incredible in this country.”
“It’s really incredible. But Kentucky also is having a tremendous problem — as you know, as you’ve read — with Obamacare and many other states,” said Trump, though Kentucky has had more success than some other states with its Obamacare exchange. “The House bill ends the Obamacare nightmare and gives health care decisions back to the states and back to the American people. These are the conservative solutions we campaigned on, and these are the conservative solutions the American people asked us as a group to deliver.”
Trump went on to tout his other policies, including the proposed border wall, his enhanced “vetting procedures” for immigrants, and a “defense expansion” with increased military spending and efforts to improve care for veterans. He said, however, that he had no choice but to address health care first.
“We are keeping these promises and many, many more. After we repeal and replace Obamacare, our Republican majority will pass massive, historic tax reform, the biggest tax cut since Ronald Reagan and potentially even bigger. … And by the way, we had to go, had no choice. Had to go with the health care first,” Trump said.
Trump then assessed the health care bill’s chances. Even if the bill clears the House on Thursday, it faces even more resistance in the Senate, and it’s unclear if the two chambers can resolve their differences.
“You know how it works. This is one room … that does know how it works. But we had to go with the health care first and we’re doing well. I think we’re going to have some great surprises. I hope that it’s going to all work out,” he said.
After health care, Trump vowed to focus on cutting taxes.
“Then, we immediately start on the tax cuts and they’re going to be really fantastic. … I am looking forward to that one. That one’s going to be fun. That one’s going to be fun. That’s called the wheelhouse,” said the president.
Trump was introduced at the event by Ryan, a key architect of the health care bill. Ryan described it as a “big opportunity to keep our promises” after an “amazing November for Republicans” that saw them retake the Senate and the White House.
“We know that this is time for us to govern. It is time for us to get it done. And that is why President Trump has called on us to act on a bold agenda, secure our border, rebuild our military, restore our infrastructure, fix our broken tax code so we can bring jobs back home, and, yes, repeal and replace Obamacare,” Ryan said.
Trump’s administration previously rejected branding the new health care bill “Trumpcare” and emphasized it was a collaboration with congressional Republicans. However, on Tuesday afternoon, Yahoo News and other reporters in the Oval Office asked Trump if the bill should be labeled “Trumpcare.”
“It could happen,” he said.
