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'Republican Senators must come through' on healthcare bill: Trump

US President Donald Trump looks on during the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris on July 14, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

US President Donald Trump has called on Republicans in the Senate to make good on a years-old campaign promise by passing the Obamacare repeal-and-replace bill.

Trump, who is in France attending Bastille Day celebrations with French President Emmanuel Macron, made the remarks in a series of early Friday morning tweets.

He said, “Republican Senators must come through as they promised,” urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take responsibility for the bill’s passage.

“Republicans Senators are working hard to get their failed Obamacare replacement approved. I will be at my desk, pen in hand!” Trump wrote. “So impt Rep Senators, under leadership of @SenateMajLdr McConnell get healthcare plan approved. After 7yrs of O'Care disaster, must happen!”

The Republican bill is aimed at fulfilling Trump's pledge to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, the signature health insurance achievement of former President Barack Obama. Obamacare covers some 20 million Americans.

If approved, the Trump administration’s healthcare bill would repeal most of the taxes that paid for Obamacare. The bill faces an uncertain passage in the Senate, where Republicans have a very narrow majority.

In the most contentious congressional vote of Trump's presidency in May, lawmakers in the House of Representatives voted 217 to 213 to pass the Obamacare repeal-and-replace bill.

US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Photo by AFP) 

In his tweets, Trump also praised Vice President Mike Pence, who played an important role in the passage of the House legislation, for his work on the Senate bill.

“After all of these years of suffering thru Obamacare, Republican Senators must come through as they have promised!” Trump wrote. “@VP Mike Pence is working hard on HealthCare and getting our wonderful Republican Senators to do what is right for the people.”

According to a report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the GOP plan to repeal Obamacare would leave 22 million more Americans uninsured over 10 years.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz on Sunday said failure to pass the bill was “not an option” and the Senate effort had to focus on lowering premiums.


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