Senator Ted Cruz seems to be softening his opposition to the Senate's replacement bill for Obamacare. In San Antonio he talked about an amendment he wants to add to the legislation. The state's junior senator appeared on local radio station KTSA.
Cruz told an audience at KTSA his amendment is a compromise.
“If an insurance company sells at least one plan in a state that complies with the mandates they can also sell any other plan that consumers desire,” he said.
The Cruz amendment is an attempt to convince split GOP members to support the senate’s bill known as the Better Care Reconciliation Act.
“What I’m trying to do is bring Republicans together, unite the Republican conference in the senate, bring together conservatives, bring together moderates, bring together the president and the administration and get it done,” Cruz said.
Senators were set to vote on the new healthcare bill to replace the Affordable Care Act last week but not enough senators were in support of the bill.
Outside the radio station several protesters attempted to meet with Cruz, however the Senator did not speak with them. Rosey Abuabara held a sign that said “NO CRUZ CARE.” She says the proposal would leave many people with minimum coverage.
“As I see it, that basic plan, people are going to get sick - they’re going to get really sick - and that plan is not going to cover what they’re sick over like cancer and things like that,” Abuabara said. “Basically they’re going to be without insurance anyway.”
The bill is expected to come back up when senators return.
Cruz had initially rejected the health care bill. Repealing and replacing Obamacare is among the highest priority for congressional Republicans. Cruz said during Thursday’s show it’s been a promise since the legislation was signed in 2010.
“I think we’ll look like laughingstocks if we can’t get out act together and do what we’d actually say we were going to do,” Cruz added.
