Senate leadership Sept. 26 announced the Senate will not vote on the Graham-Cassidy proposal introduced earlier this summer by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.). The announcement followed statements made by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) that they would not support the proposal as written, leaving the bill short of the 50 votes needed to pass.
The announcement effectively ends Senate Republicans efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) under the current fast-track reconciliation instructions that expire Sept. 30. Opposition to the proposal had been mounting, with protesters disrupting the Sept. 25 Senate Finance Committee hearing on the bill.
The AAMC issued a Sept. 19 statement and letter urging Senators to vote against the Graham-Cassidy proposal and to return to bipartisan efforts ongoing in the Senate Finance and Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) committees [see Washington Highlights, Sept. 22, Sept. 15].