Two Iowa Republican lawmakers say the effort to repeal and replace Obamacare is not over despite the failed attempt to push a bill through the U-S House. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he expects work to continue on the effort, even as the president moves to work on tax cuts. “I think what the White House is basically saying is that they’re going to work on something else to get passed first — but starting this very day there’s got to be work on health care reform — because you can’t just let Obamacare just fall of its own weight,” Grassley says.
First District Representative Rod Blum, a Republican, refused to vote for the bill in the House before it was pulled from a vote. Blum agrees with Grassley’s assessment. “The president is going to move on to other things, he wants speaker Ryan and the leadership in the House…to continue to work on this, continue to debate it, continue to research it, and once we come to an agreement, he’s more than likely to get behind what we agree to,” Blum says.
He says he expects another alternative to eventually be worked out. “It’s not dead, it’s not going away, we’re going to continue to work on it in the House,” Blum says. “And I’m convinced what we needed was more time.” Blum says he is optimistic that with more time they will come up with a proposal that will work.
(Radio Iowa)