What’s next? Senate GOP scrambles after health care flop

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., right, arrives for a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 18, 2017. President Donald Trump blasted congressional Democrats and "a few Republicans" over the collapse of the GOP effort to rewrite the Obama health care law. McConnell proposed a vote on a backup plan simply repealing the statute, but that idea was on the brink of rejection, too. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., right, arrives for a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 18, 2017. President Donald Trump blasted congressional Democrats and "a few Republicans" over the collapse of the GOP effort to rewrite the Obama health care law. McConnell proposed a vote on a backup plan simply repealing the statute, but that idea was on the brink of rejection, too. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

By Associated Press July 19, 2017 4 min read

WASHINGTON – Now what?

Senate Republicans are scrambling to pick up the pieces after their attempt to repeal and replace the Obama-era health care law collapsed a second time.

After working for months on a new health package, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced Tuesday that the Senate would vote to move ahead on a straight-up repeal early next week, at the request of President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and other Republicans.

But even that effort is failing. At least three GOP senators came out against that plan, which would deny McConnell the votes needed to even debate a bill.

McConnell noted that a Republican-led Congress voted to repeal the law in 2015. But President Barack Obama was in the White House at the time, so Republicans knew he would he would veto the measure.