FILE PHOTO: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks to reporters after the Republican policy luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, U.S. October 24, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday threw his support behind including a repeal of the Obamacare mandate for individual health insurance in the Senate’s tax reform bill.

“We’re optimistic that inserting the individual mandate repeal would be helpful and that’s obviously the view of the Senate Finance Committee Republicans as well,” McConnell told reporters.