On Thursday afternoon, House Republicans successfully pushed through a repeatedly revised version of the American Health Care Act—the divisive, unpopular legislation championed by President Donald Trump and House GOP leadership. The bill, aimed at gutting Obamacare, passed the House with 20 Republicans voting against it, and without a single Democratic vote in favor. Republican leadership announced on Wednesday evening that they would finally hold a vote, even though the Congressional Budget Office would not be able to score the bill until days after the scheduled vote. Ever since the original form of Trumpcare failed in late March, House Republicans have negotiated several changes to the bill in efforts to sway hardline-conservative members, including in the House Freedom Caucus, and more moderate holdouts. The current bill, which has been slammed by both Democrats and Republicans for throwing into jeopardy coverage for sick people with pre-existing conditions, now advances to the Senate—where it is destined for a dramatic makeover if not an outright shredding.
—Asawin Suebsaeng
