Story highlights House Speaker Paul Ryan says he's working closely with President Donald Trump

The two Republican leaders are trying to get a bill passed that would repeal and replace Obamacare

Washington (CNN) House Speaker Paul Ryan tried to offer a robust defense of the House plan to repeal and replace part of Obamacare, but declined to say whether the bill could pass the House as is Wednesday.

"It's not coming up this afternoon," Ryan told CNN's Jake Tapper on "The Lead." "It's going through the legislative process. That legislative process has not been finalized. That's, no offense, that's kind of a goofy question or faulty premise because this goes through four committees. We've gone through two so far."

Ryan has been under heavy criticism from conservatives and major interest groups as well as a Congressional Budget Office report that said the American Health Care Act would lead to 24 million people losing health insurance coverage.

The bill goes before the House Budget Committee Thursday. Speaking at a news conference on Capitol Hill later in the day, Ryan confirmed that he expected the bill would go to the House Rules Committee some time next week.

However, Ryan would not commit clearly or firmly to bringing the House bill to the floor next week in a late-day press conference on Capitol Hill, deferring to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy to set the schedule.

Read More