Updated: 10:21 AM ET

The head of the Heritage Foundation’s political arm said that Republicans understand they won’t be able to repeal Obamacare until at least 2017.

In an interview with Fox News, CEO of Heritage Action for America Michael Needham was asked what conservatives could do to fully remove the law with Democrats controlling both the Senate and the White House.

“Well everybody, understands that we’ll not be able to repeal this law until 2017,” Needham said Wednesday. “We have to win the Senate and win the White House. Right now it is clear that this bill is not ready for prime time. It is clear the bill is unfair.”

Heritage Action for America is one of the outside groups largely credited with creating pressure on House Republicans to defund Obamacare, even if it meant a government shutdown.

The group even came out against the House’s 11th hour deal on Tuesday because it did not sufficiently defund Obamacare, derailing the scheduled vote.

Needham’s comments come as some top Republicans seem to be adopting a pessimistic tone about the ongoing negotiations over raising the debt ceiling and ending the government shutdown. Also on Wednesday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) called on Republicans to stop resisting potential compromises and simply move forward with ending the government shutdown.