GOP rep: ObamaCare repeal plan is ‘two-thirds of a good bill’

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) on Tuesday called the House GOP’s ObamaCare replacement proposal better than doing nothing, framing the plan as “two-thirds of a good bill.”

“Just because it’s not what I want doesn’t mean it’s not two-thirds of a good bill that has then become a compromised material that we’re going to have to work on,” Sessions said on CNN’s “New Day.” 

“So I believe we can pass it,” he added. 

Sessions acknowledged that the bill, known as the American Health Care Act, will require some tweaking and amending to clear the House. 

{mosads}“Is it better than what we have today? Absolutely. Will it save the American healthcare system? Yes. Is it going to be something we’re going to have to work with for quite sometime? Yes also,” Sessions said. 

Sessions insisted the House vote will take place Thursday, despite some GOP lawmakers asking for the vote to be delayed to allow amendments. 

He said the GOP has not properly communicated why their plan is better than ObamaCare, noting that pressure from angry constituents is keeping some lawmakers from backing the bill.

“Members also are having problems with people back home and that’s the problem. It’s the people back home who are being very vocal, who are in a lot of these conservative groups that do not understand the bill because it has not been sold properly to them,” Sessions continued. 

Sessions is the chairman of the House Rules Committee, which will be the last committee to amend the bill on Wednesday, the day before it heads to a floor vote.

Sessions accepted some of the blame for not selling the bill outside of D.C. 

“That’s the real problem, not the president, not whether they do or don’t want to vote, the people back home are not sold on what we’re doing yet and that’s partially my fault also. I tried to take the time to explain to the American people why we’re doing this but we recognize it’s back home voter, not Washington, D.C., voter,” Sessions said.

Sessions faced a tough town hall crowd last week, where audience members repeatedly jeered and booed as he steadfastly stood by the healthcare proposal.