Speaker Paul Ryan pulled the GOP's health care bill from the floor two weeks ago after failing to secure the votes for passage. | John Shinkle/POLITICO House GOP mulls emergency meeting to push Obamacare repeal The move shows President Donald Trump isn't prepared to concede defeat.

House Republicans are considering an emergency committee meeting Thursday to keep their Obamacare replacement plan afloat, sources told POLITICO — a last-minute decision that comes just as the GOP repeal effort was seen as all but dead for the foreseeable future.

The House Rules Committee alerted staff late Wednesday night that the panel may convene Thursday to hear from Republicans on next steps forward for their health care alternative. Speaker Paul Ryan pulled the bill from the floor two weeks ago after failing to secure the votes for passage, and since then the legislation has been mired in GOP infighting.


Two sources did not believe the hearing, if scheduled, would have an immediate impact on the legislative calendar. Lawmakers are slated to leave town for a two-week Easter recess starting Thursday, though some Republicans have encouraged leaders to keep Congress in session until they hash out a deal.

Discussions about the hearing come just hours after Ryan (R-Wis.) and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) met at the White House with top advisers to President Donald Trump to discuss health care. Vice President Mike Pence spent the past week meeting with conservatives and moderates to try to flesh out an agreement that would appease both sides.

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Pence’s diplomatic endeavor, however, came up short after he floated concessions to conservatives that were quickly panned by centrist and mainstream Republicans, even GOP leaders.

Still, discussions of a potential last-minute hearing show that Republicans aren’t giving up yet and are feeling pressure to act quickly.

