U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) speaks during a news conference after Republican weekly conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 14, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives could vote to pass a tax reform bill that also repeals the Obamacare health insurance mandate if the Senate includes the provision in its final version of the plan, U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Wednesday.

In an interview on CNBC television, Ryan said House Republicans had not included such a repeal in its own bill and was waiting to see whether the Senate had the votes to approve a tax package that repeals the mandate, which requires Americans to obtain health insurance or pay a penalty.