Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., argued Tuesday that Senate Republicans are getting nowhere in their quest to write a new healthcare bill, and that some GOP members are openly questioning if they’ll be able to pass a bill.
“More and more, Senate Republicans appear to be realizing that healthcare reform through budget reconciliation leads right into a box canyon. Republicans are stuck in no man’s land,” Schumer said, even as he hit Republicans for not working with Democrats on the bill.
Schumer made the remarks to reporters after the Senate Democrats’ weekly lunch, where they discussed President Trump’s proposed infrastructure plan. Part of the plan would separate air traffic control from the federal government, which was quickly rejected by many Democrats and has led to Democratic pessimism over any potential deal.
Some have floated the possibility that Republicans could use budget reconciliation to get an infrastructure plan through if healthcare or tax reform fail, but Schumer warned Republicans against using that route.
“The proposal being put together without any Democratic input is a bridge to nowhere,” Schumer said. “They’re going to have the same problems they’ve had on healthcare and tax reform on infrastructure if they decide to do it without us.”
In recent days, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have cast doubt on the Senate GOP’s ability to pass a bill that could pass the House by the end of September, which is when the reconciliation tool expires.
