The House Freedom Caucus announced its official support for the leadership-backed Obamacare repeal bill Wednesday, having been swayed by an amendment that makes substantial changes to the initial legislation.
āNEWS: Freedom Caucus announces official position of support for AHCA with MacArthur amendment included,ā HFC spokeswoman Alyssa Farah confirmed in a tweet.
The decision comes after the powerful conservativeĀ group met following the House GOPās conference meeting Wednesday morning. The caucus requires 80 percent of its members to agreeĀ before it will take an official position on an issue. Their support comes as a major win for the party in terms of reviving legislation once seen as all but dead.
NEWS: Freedom Caucus announces official position of support for AHCA with MacArthur amendment included
The group was largely blamed for the derailment of House Republicansā first attempt to pass the American Health Care Act in March, having dubbed the bill āObamacare lite.ā
The MacArthur amendment ā negotiated between Tuesday Group Co-Chairman Tom MacArthur and House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows ā would allow states to waive out of a number of Obamacareās Title I regulations, a sticking point for conservatives who felt it was the only way to truly bring down premiums.
While conservatives have gotten on board, a number of moderates remain unsold, voicing concerns over MedicaidĀ expansion and pre-existing conditions.
House Leadership said theyĀ plan to bring the bill to the floor as soon as they areĀ confident they have the votes for it to pass.
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Source: The Daily Caller
