Two holdouts on the GOP effort to repeal ObamaCare are throwing their support behind a bipartisan deal to extend payments to insurers after President Trump moved to nix them.

"While this deal certainly doesn’t solve all the problems caused by Obamacare, it shows that good faith, bipartisan negotiations can achieve consensus on lasting reform. ... I look forward to voting in support of this bill," McCain said in a statement.

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Murkowski in a separate statement called the proposal a "short-term deal," saying it was "an important step as we work towards long-term solutions."

The administration said last week that it was nixing the payments because it "cannot lawfully" make them to insurers since they weren't appropriated under the Affordable Care Act.

It's not clear if the Alexander-Murray deal can get the 60 votes needed in the Senate, much less win over the more conservative House GOP caucus.

"We haven't had a chance to think about the way forward yet," McConnell told reporters during a press conference held minutes after the agreement was announced.

Alexander will need to win over a significant number of his GOP colleagues, some of whom have been skeptical of supporting a bill that critics view as propping up ObamaCare.

The support from McCain and Murkowski marks a shift from the GOP effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare.

McCain during his first floor speech after being diagnosed with brain cancer earlier this year urged his colleagues to return to "regular order" and include input from both parties.

He added on Tuesday that he hopes the agreement from Alexander and Murray is "a sign of increased bipartisanship moving forward."