By John Dempsey, WLS-AM 890 News
(CHICAGO) West Suburban Republican Congressman Peter Roskam says he has decided to vote in favor of the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. The vote of Roskam is being closely watched because he is a Republican representing a district that voted for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump, and has been targeted for defeat in 2018 by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Roskam told “The Big John and Ray Show” on WLS that the bill will be a big improvement over Obamacare. “Yeah I would vote for this bill. I think that it’s moving us in a direction that’s helpful. It’s a massive tax cut, it gives people in the individual market at the lower end of the economic spectrum the same treatment. It cuts their taxes, it gives them a tax credit so that they can go out and get the same benefit that people who have employer-based coverage.”
President Trump has ordered Republicans to vote on the bill Friday, even though it may not have enough Republican support to pass. Members of the far-right Freedom Caucus say it has too much government involvement in health care, while more moderate Republicans are concerned that it will leave too many people without health insurance.
However, Roskam told WLS, “There are some very good things in here. This is the first major entitlement reform that would have been enacted into law. That is massive changes in Medicaid long-term but not cutting people out in the short term and having a good transition, so on balance it’s a good piece of legislation.”
A House vote on the health care plan is set for later Friday.
For the podcast from the John and Ray morning show on Friday, click here.
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