GOP’s Obamacare repeal bill clears hurdle, heads toward final vote

The GOP effort to undo the Affordable Care Act crossed a key hurdle when House Republicans approved a procedural step, setting up a final vote expected later Friday.

But the bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, as the law is called, is still in serious doubt amid deep Republican dissent.

Late Thursday, President Trump issued lawmakers an ultimatum to either pass the bill or he would move on to other issues. The White House said it was done negotiating with the conservative House Freedom Caucus, which wants a tougher bill, and more centrist and moderate Republicans worried about Americans losing coverage under the GOP plan.

Trump’s threat changed the tenor of what had been relatively congenial negotiations. Some lawmakers embraced the moment as their battle cry to act, while others resented the president’s hard-sell language.

On Friday, Trump went a step further, criticizing the caucus publicly for its opposition.

“The irony is that the Freedom Caucus, which is very pro-life and against Planned Parenthood, allows P.P. to continue if they stop this plan!,” the president tweeted.

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) has struggled to build majority support for passage and Trump’s message cut both ways.

Approval of the rules package Friday morning by a 230-194 vote does not ensure final passage later in the day. Six Republicans voted against advancing the bill.

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