Though the Graham-Cassidy proposal failed to garner enough support to bring the bill to a vote before budget reconciliation rules expire Sept. 30, the bill's sponsors believe it can receive the support it needs to pass through regular legislative order, according to The Hill.
"Over the coming weeks and months, we are committed to holding congressional hearings and working with our nations' governors who believe returning power to states is a vast improvement over Obamacare," Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., said in a joint statement.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, along with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., didn't support the Graham-Cassidy bill, which left it with 49 "yes" votes, one shy of the 50 votes needed to pass healthcare legislation under budget reconciliation rules, with Vice President Mike Pence acting as a tiebreaker.
At least one of those senators would be willing reconsider the bill. Mr. McCain didn't support the bill because it had not gone through standard process. However, he indicated he supported some of the bill's primary ideas, including repealing Medicaid expansion, ending federal premium subsidies and giving states block grant funding to use as they wish.
Through standard process, a simple majority can pass a bill unless opposing senators choose to filibuster, at which point the bill needs 60 votes to pass. Republicans have 52 votes.
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