Republican U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday were left scrambling to salvage their years-long campaign promise to repeal and replace Obamacare after their latest plan sank in the Senate, rattling financial markets and sending the U.S. dollar to a 10-month low.
The setback leaves the party to weigh a repeal-only strategy to buy more time for a possible replacement plan later as President Donald Trump vowed to return with a new proposal.
Agenda at risk
“As I have always said, let ObamaCare fail and then come together and do a great healthcare plan. Stay tuned!” he tweeted, blaming Democrats and a few members of his own party.
“Most Republicans were loyal, terrific & worked really hard,” Mr. Trump tweeted Tuesday morning. “We were let down by all of the Democrats and a few Republicans.”
Republicans’ healthcare failure spelled uncertainty for Mr. Trump’s other top agenda items of tax reform and an infrastructure overhaul, leaving the President without any major legislative accomplishments six months into his tenure.
On Monday, Republican Senators Mike Lee and Jerry Moran joined colleagues Susan Collins and Rand Paul in opposing the legislation.
Their refusal, combined with full opposition from Democrats, left Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell without enough votes to pass the bill in the Senate.
