WASHINGTON—Congress is poised to complete its initial step toward dismantling President Barack Obama’s health care law, as Republicans divided over how to replace it face pressure from Donald Trump for quick action.
By a near party-line 51-48 vote early Thursday, the GOP-run Senate approved a budget that eases the way for action on subsequent repeal legislation as soon as next month.
The Republican-controlled House planned to complete the budget on Friday, even amid misgivings by some GOP lawmakers. Aiming to build momentum, the office of House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., distributed an email underscoring support for the measure by the conservative group Heritage Action.
“We must act quickly to bring relief to the American people,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
The president-elect oozed confidence at a news conference on Wednesday, promising his incoming administration would soon reveal a plan to both repeal so-called Obamacare and replace it with legislation to “get health care taken care of in this country.”
