House pulls healthcare bill amid crumbling support
Unable to muster enough support from his own party, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan again postponed a vote on the GOP’s plan to overhaul the Affordable Care Act.
The move came at the request of President Trump, who just last night issued an ultimatum that lawmakers should hold the vote regardless of the outcome.
It was the second time House GOP leaders had to delay a final reckoning on the measure to avoid an embarrassing defeat.
Republicans could afford to lose no more than about 21 or 22 votes from their own members, but defections appeared at times to exceed 30.
The conservative House Freedom Caucus wanted Trump and Ryan to go farther and faster in unwinding Obamacare rules and taxes. Centrist Republicans were worried the GOP plan would leave too many Americans without health insurance.
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