Rep. Mo Brooks

U.S. Congressman Mo Brooks speaks at Washington Update Luncheon sponsored by Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. (Bob Gathany/bgathany@AL.com)

(Bob Gathany)

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks reiterated again Friday morning his opposition to the American Health Care Act, making him the only Alabama Congressman to vote against the bill pushed by the GOP and President Trump.

Brooks has long been critical of the bill and last-ditch negotiations between House leaders, Trump and the conservative House Freedom Caucus - of which Brooks is a member - failed to sway his position.

"As much as I would like to vote with many of my Republican colleagues in Congress and in the White House (most of whom privately tell me they dislike the bad policy in this bill), I will vote against the American Health Care Act because it has more bad policy than any bill I have ever faced," Brooks said in a statement.

"I simply cannot, and will not, vote for bad legislation that hurts so many Americans solely because Washington friends and colleagues ask me to."

The bill is expected to be voted upon in the House of Representatives on Friday after Thursday's vote was delayed as backers of the bill lobbied for more support.

The bill drafted by House Speaker Paul Ryan not only fails to eliminate problem aspects of the Affordable Care Act (more commonly known as Obamacare) but also introduces new problems as well, Brooks said.

I've never faced a worse bill than the #AHCA & will vote “NO” today on a bad bill that will hurt so many Americans. https://t.co/mHo3ixuye7 — Mo Brooks (@RepMoBrooks) March 24, 2017

"Not only does Obamacare 2.0 include almost all of the bad Obamacare policies that force higher costs, it similarly fails to include basic cost containment measures that help lower health care costs," he said.

Brooks also announced he plans to introduce a bill that will call for the full repeal of Obamacare by the end of the year.

"Regardless of today's vote, I have instructed my staff and Legislative Counsel to draft a bill that repeals Obamacare effective December 31, 2017," Brooks said. "The time between bill passage and the effective date gives Congress a deadline by which to pass laws to contain spiraling health care costs. I will introduce that Obamacare repeal bill as soon as I get it."