WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and House leaders are revving up pressure on balky conservatives and other Republican lawmakers as crunch time approaches on the party’s health care overhaul bill, a drive GOP leaders concede they can’t afford to lose.
A day before the House planned votes on the measure, Trump was expected to continue hunting support for what would be a significant achievement for his young presidency. But underscoring the bill’s uncertain fate, a senior administration official said that 20 to 25 House Republicans remained opposed or undecided. That’s a grave figure since united Democratic opposition means the measure crashes if 22 GOP lawmakers vote “no.”
“If we keep our promise, people will reward us,” House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told reporters Tuesday of GOP vows to demolish former President Barack Obama’s health care law that the GOP has assailed since its enactment in 2010. “If we don’t keep our promise, it will be very hard to manage this,” the speaker said.
“Honestly, a loss is not acceptable, folks,” Trump told lawmakers at a closed-door Capitol meeting with House Republicans. He warned they’d face widespread defeats in next year’s elections and possible loss of control of the chamber if the measure failed.
Trump’s remarks and the White House nose count of votes were each described by Republicans who provided inside information on condition of anonymity.
Emerging from the meeting at the Capitol, Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., said Trump told Republicans he would campaign for them if they backed the bill. Trump didn’t indicate what he would do to those who vote against the bill, but during that meeting, he singled out Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., an outspoken critic of the bill.
Collins said Trump asked Meadows to stand up, called him a great guy and said he is counting on Meadows to get this over the line.
Another person at the event said Trump told Meadows, “I’m gonna come after you so hard.” Trump delivered that line with a smile, but it was also lined with a touch of seriousness, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe a private meeting.
