BURSTSome GOP senators are keeping their cards close to their vest as to how they’ll vote on a sweeping package of President Trump’s tax priorities and changes for programs like Medicaid and SNAP, also known as the food stamps program.
Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a key moderate, wouldn’t say Monday afternoon when pressed how she plans to vote for the megabill, but has had concerns about Medicaid cuts, among other changes.
“I'm voting on the amendments, looking at the amendments. I'm not going to make an announcement now,” she told The Hill. She also has an amendment to increase the rural hospital fund.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) was also noncommittal when asked about how he plans to vote on the final passage on Monday afternoon — just hours before the Senate is expected to vote on sending the overall legislation to the House for consideration.
Asked whether he’d support the plan, he urged the adoption of an amendment being pushed by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) aimed at further reducing Medicaid spending by limiting its expansion under the Affordable Care Act.
Lee and Johnson are cosponsors of the amendment, along with Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho).
“By the way, almost everybody in this chamber, Republicans, said they were going to repeal and replace Obamacare,” Johnson told The Hill. “Well, this would be repealing probably one of the most damaging aspects of Obamacare.”
But when pressed twice whether he could support the bill if the amendment is not adopted, Johnson added, "I don't think the House will. I want to pass something the Senate, the House can pass.”
“Okay, so again, this might take a little time.”
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) also said he was planning to support the bill but told The Hill that it depends on how the bill shakes out.
“Obviously it depends on how it all turns out, but yes I am,” he told The Hill when asked if he plans to support the bill. Asked about whether it also depended on Scott’s amendment, which seeks to trim an additional $313 billion in Medicaid spending, passing: “Depends on what the finished product looks like.”
Johnson drew attention over the weekend after initially voting against proceeding to debate for the megabill before flipping his vote after he and other hardline conservatives struck a deal with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Vice President Vance.
Johnson said the leadership agreed at the time to allow a vote on their amendment.
“The leadership wants to do this, too. This is what was key about the two-hour meeting with the president,” he said then, adding Trump is “willing to do what needs to be done to put this nation on a path of eventually balancing our budget.”