In his first major address since he was elected House Speaker, Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Thursday he plans to unveil a replacement plan for the Affordable Care Act in 2016, according to The Hill.
"There are many things to do, but most urgent is to repeal and replace ObamaCare," Congressman Ryan said, according to the report. "We think this problem is so urgent that, next year, we are going to unveil a plan to replace every word of ObamaCare."
Congressman Ryan called upon Republicans to contribute bold ideas and legislation rather than try to undo Barack Obama's presidency. He said Republicans' main objective for 2016 should be to develop a "complete alternative to the left's agenda," according to the report.
Congressman Ryan made his remarks just hours before the Senate voted on legislation to repeal the ACA, which passed in a 52 to 47 vote. This measure could mark the first time a repeal would be sent to the president's desk, though President Obama has vowed to veto it.
Without naming specific details, Congressman Ryan implied his plan would include tax credits to help the poor afford healthcare, similar to the ACA. It would also repeal the individual and employer mandates, which have been long criticized by conservatives, according to the report.
Along with the GOP committee chairman, Congressman Ryan began drafting a plan earlier this year to mitigate the consequences if the Supreme Court had decided to strike down the premiums subsidies in its King v. Burwell ruling.
During his speech, Congressman Ryan targeted President Obama, saying the president and the Democratic party's strategy is to "slice and dice" the electorate and "demonize" the GOP. "What we've seen these past seven years is the illusion of success," he said, according to the report. "The left may be good at tactics. But tactics are not solutions. They can win an election. But they can't win a mandate. They can make you popular. But they can't solve problems. They can help a party. But they can't save the country. So why in the world would we want to act that way?"