Senate May Take Its Time on Obamacare Repeal

Playbook: “The health-care hot potato is now in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) hands. But expect this phase of the fight to look much different than it did in the House. McConnell is a much different operator than House leaders. He’s calm and cool, and does not get rattled easily. He doesn’t really succumb to pressure. We expect the Senate is going to take its time cobbling together whatever Obamacare repeal bill it can — it could take many months, insiders tell us. We expect the process to unfold like this: the Senate takes a while, the House and Trump begin to get angry and lash out at the Senate.”

“When congressional leaders say they are going to pivot quickly to tax reform, keep in mind that Congress needs to pass a new budget resolution first. Budgets lay out spending priorities. Republicans are far from unified on that.”

Mike Allen: “If health reform makes it to Trump’s desk, it’s unlikely to be before fall. It’ll take up the Senate calendar through the summer, then the conference committee and another floor fight in the House.”