Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters Tuesday that he and other senators are working to draft a separate, alternative healthcare bill to the one currently pushed by Republican leaders.
Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters Tuesday that he and other senators are working to draft a separate, alternative healthcare bill to the one currently pushed by Republican leaders.
“I’m working with some senators to come up with a new approach to deal with how to replace Obamacare, ” Graham said, according to Politico. “I think it will be fundamentally different. I think it will potentially attract some Democrats.”
He went on to say that “We’re not there yet, but we’re working with governors, and we may be taking some of the critics of the current bill and converting them to supporters.”
The senator added that details of the plan will come in the next “24 to 48 hours.”
Later the same day, West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin confirmed to Talking Points Memo that he and Graham had “briefly” talked about working together.
“I said, ‘Hey, you want to repair things and fix things? Count me in. I’ll sit and talk to you, ‘” Manchin said to reporters.
“He threw some things out and said, ‘Joe what about this, this and this?’ And I said, ‘You know, we’re not going vote to repeal, ‘” he continued. “But I said, ‘You know, if you’re wanting to repair and fix it with the private sector and no harm to Medicaid, and get rid of all the tax cuts you’re giving to the rich, let’s sit down and talk.’ And that’s where we left it.”
