Speaker Paul Ryan discusses the efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act during a press conference on April 26. | John Shinkle/POLITICO Ryan moves to ax lawmaker exemption in Obamacare repeal bill

House GOP leaders are moving quickly behind the scenes to iron out a wrinkle in their latest Obamacare repeal legislation: a controversial provision that preserves Obamacare coverage protections for members of Congress and their staffs while allowing states to opt out of them.

Late Wednesday night, the House Rules Committee posted the text of a one-page bill that strikes the exemption for lawmakers that caused such a ruckus for Republicans on Wednesday morning. Discovery of the loophole, first reported by Vox, had triggered charges of hypocrisy from Democrats the entire day.


The new bill, authored by Rep. Marha McSally (R-Ariz.), posted just as Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and his top lieutenants exited a late-night conference to discuss whether they had the votes to hold the Obamacare repeal vote this week.

They don’t — at least not yet. While an endorsement from the conservative House Freedom Caucus gave Republicans much-needed momentum, leadership is still trying to nail down moderates wary of the latest draft. Some more traditional Republicans have also proven shaky in their support.

So, while President Donald Trump wants a vote as soon as Friday, sources said the roll call appears to be increasingly unlikely this week. Some are still hopeful for a breakthrough, however.

Republican leaders are getting ready just in case.

Late Wednesday, they posted the text of the new agreement struck by the White House, centrist Republican Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.) and Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.). They also posted the new McSally bill aimed at axing the waiver for lawmakers, which Republicans acknowledged would be a huge optics issue for them.