NEW DIRECTION?

Mitch McConnell Pitches Obamacare Fix With Help From Democrats

Acknowledges GOP senators may not be able to repeal and replace the law.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged Thursday that the GOP’s efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act could fail, adding that legislation to fix Obamacare would be required if Republicans in the Senate can’t come together. “If my side is unable to agree on an adequate replacement, then some kind of action with regard to the private health-insurance market must occur,” McConnell said Thursday in southern Kentucky, in a rare acknowledgement that it would be possible for Obamacare to be fixed. The majority leader was forced to delay a vote on the upper chamber’s plan to repeal and replace Obamacare after he could not get 50 of the 52 GOP senators on board. In a statement, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said McConnell’s remarks were encouraging.