© Greg Nash
Sen. Ted Cruz
Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzOvernight Defense: Law enforcement officials blame Pentagon 'reluctance' to deploy National Guard in first hearing on Capitol attack | Watchdog report finds Pentagon didn't fully evaluate border deployment requests | Biden's UN ambassador confirmed Top cops deflect blame over Capitol attack Sanders votes against Biden USDA nominee Vilsack MORE (R-Texas) said on Sunday that he isn't yet ready to support the latest GOP effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare, increasing uncertainty that Republicans will be able to pass the legislation.
"Right now they don't have my vote, and I don't think they have [Sen.] Mike Lee
Michael (Mike) Shumway LeeOvernight Health Care: US surpasses half a million COVID deaths | House panel advances Biden's .9T COVID-19 aid bill | Johnson & Johnson ready to provide doses for 20M Americans by end of March 11 GOP senators slam Biden pick for health secretary: 'No meaningful experience' Lee after Romney's impeachment vote: There's enough room in GOP 'for both of us' MORE's [R-Utah] either," Cruz said at the Texas Tribune Festival.
Michael (Mike) Shumway LeeOvernight Health Care: US surpasses half a million COVID deaths | House panel advances Biden's .9T COVID-19 aid bill | Johnson & Johnson ready to provide doses for 20M Americans by end of March 11 GOP senators slam Biden pick for health secretary: 'No meaningful experience' Lee after Romney's impeachment vote: There's enough room in GOP 'for both of us' MORE's [R-Utah] either," Cruz said at the Texas Tribune Festival.ADVERTISEMENT
"Now, I want to be a yes," he added, indicating a willingness to be won over.
He said that he and Lee sat down with GOP Sens. Bill Cassidy
Bill CassidyKoch-backed group launches ads urging lawmakers to reject COVID-19 relief bill Biden health nominee faces first Senate test Is the 'civil war' in the Republican Party really over? MORE (La.) and Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamProgressive support builds for expanding lower courts McConnell backs Garland for attorney general Senate GOP campaign chief talks strategy with Trump MORE (S.C.) to pitch changes to their legislation, which replaces ObamaCare's Medicaid expansion and health care insurance subsidies with federal block grants.
Bill CassidyKoch-backed group launches ads urging lawmakers to reject COVID-19 relief bill Biden health nominee faces first Senate test Is the 'civil war' in the Republican Party really over? MORE (La.) and Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamProgressive support builds for expanding lower courts McConnell backs Garland for attorney general Senate GOP campaign chief talks strategy with Trump MORE (S.C.) to pitch changes to their legislation, which replaces ObamaCare's Medicaid expansion and health care insurance subsidies with federal block grants. "We said if you take these edits we're a yes. They took our edits and then a day later they removed our edits," Cruz said.
Both Cruz and Lee have sounded optimistic about the Cassidy-Graham legislation, but held off from offering their support and noted they are pushing for additional changes.
The ongoing negotiations reflect the uphill challenge GOP leadership faces to getting an ObamaCare repeal bill through the Senate by the end of the week.
In addition to Cruz and Lee, several other key senators — including GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann MurkowskiKoch-backed group launches ads urging lawmakers to reject COVID-19 relief bill Biden health nominee faces first Senate test White House stands behind Tanden as opposition mounts MORE (Alaska) — remain on the sidelines.
Lisa Ann MurkowskiKoch-backed group launches ads urging lawmakers to reject COVID-19 relief bill Biden health nominee faces first Senate test White House stands behind Tanden as opposition mounts MORE (Alaska) — remain on the sidelines. Meanwhile, GOP Sens. Rand Paul
Randal (Rand) Howard PaulSanders votes against Biden USDA nominee Vilsack Senate confirms Vilsack as Agriculture secretary Hillicon Valley: Biden to take 'executive action' to address SolarWinds breach | Facebook and Google respond to Australian proposed law | DOJ charges North Korean hackers with stealing .3 billion in cryptocurrency MORE (Ky.) and John McCain
John Sidney McCainCindy McCain planning 'intimate memoir' of life with John McCain Trump-McConnell rift divides GOP donors Arkansas state senator says he's leaving Republican Party MORE (Ariz.) have said they can't support it. Sen. Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsMicrosoft, FireEye push for breach reporting rules after SolarWinds hack On The Money: Schumer urges Democrats to stick together on .9T bill | Collins rules out GOP support for Biden relief plan | Powell fights inflation fears Schumer urges Democrats to stick together on .9T bill MORE (R-Maine) said on Sunday that it was "difficult to imagine" that she would ultimately vote for the ObamaCare repeal legislation.
Randal (Rand) Howard PaulSanders votes against Biden USDA nominee Vilsack Senate confirms Vilsack as Agriculture secretary Hillicon Valley: Biden to take 'executive action' to address SolarWinds breach | Facebook and Google respond to Australian proposed law | DOJ charges North Korean hackers with stealing .3 billion in cryptocurrency MORE (Ky.) and John McCainJohn Sidney McCainCindy McCain planning 'intimate memoir' of life with John McCain Trump-McConnell rift divides GOP donors Arkansas state senator says he's leaving Republican Party MORE (Ariz.) have said they can't support it. Sen. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsMicrosoft, FireEye push for breach reporting rules after SolarWinds hack On The Money: Schumer urges Democrats to stick together on .9T bill | Collins rules out GOP support for Biden relief plan | Powell fights inflation fears Schumer urges Democrats to stick together on .9T bill MORE (R-Maine) said on Sunday that it was "difficult to imagine" that she would ultimately vote for the ObamaCare repeal legislation. Republicans have until the end of the month to pass an ObamaCare repeal bill by a simple majority. The budget rules allowing them to bypass a Democratic filibuster expire on Sept. 30.
Cruz, on Sunday, argued that was a "bogus deadline."
"We can do budget resolutions, and budget reconciliation, at any point. We can do it after Sept. 30," he said.
The Senate parliamentarian has determined that the current rules expire at the end of the month.
If Republicans wanted to pass ObamaCare repeal by a simple majority after September, they would need to include rules setting up health care in the fiscal 2018 budget resolution that is already being used to pave the way for tax reform.
