Wisconsin’s Ron Johnson and at least three other Republican U.S. Senators will apparently oppose a floor vote on health care this week. “I’m going to vote ‘no’ on a motion to proceed this week, because it’s just too soon,” Johnson said on FOX News Tuesday morning. “I want the time to improve this bill.”
Johnson has been saying since last week that he wants to time to present the bill to constituents in Wisconsin, and make improvements. “In the end, no matter what I’m forced to vote for, as imperfect as I know it will be, my evaluation will be, is it continuous improvement? We’ve got to take a look at those premiums,” Johnson said on FOX.
Procedural rules require Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to have 51 votes, in order to bring the bill to a vote. “I’m going to oppose the motion to proceed, because it’s too early,” Johnson said.
In the House, which passed its own version of a health care bill last month, Speaker Paul Ryan of Janesville said his members are watching and waiting. “We just don’t know what the final bill is going to look like,”said Ryan. “Our members are just waiting to see – in a constructive way – to see that the Senate can produce.”