McCain announces opposition to Graham-Cassidy proposal

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) today said he will not vote for the Graham-Cassidy proposal to repeal and replace parts of the Affordable Care Act, which is expected to go to the Senate floor next week. “I cannot in good conscience vote for the Graham-Cassidy proposal,” McCain said. “I believe we could do better working together, Republicans and Democrats, and have not yet really tried. Nor could I support it without knowing how much it will cost, how it will effect insurance premiums, and how many people will be helped or hurt by it. Without a full [Congressional Budget Office] score, which won’t be available by the end of the month, we won’t have reliable answers to any of those questions.” The Senate has until Sept. 30 to pass the bill with 51 votes under reconciliation rules. After that, the legislation would require at least 60 votes in the Senate to move forward. The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on the proposal at 2 p.m. ET Sept. 25.