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PROVIDENCE, R.I. The nation's governors, gathered here for their annual meeting, came out strongly on Friday against the new Senate bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, ratcheting up the pressure on Republican leaders struggling to round up the votes to pass the bill next week.
Opposition came not just from Democratic governors but from Republicans who split along familiar lines between conservatives who said the legislation did not go far enough and moderates who said it was far too harsh on their state's vulnerable residents.
Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, who may be the most pivotal figure at the moment in the health care debate, said he had great concerns with the legislation, and all but declared that he could not support any bill that would scale back Nevada's Medicaid program. His decision to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act had been a winner for the people of our state, he said.
I have to be comfortable that those 210,000 lives are going to continue to enjoy the quality of life and health care that they have right now, he said, referring to the number of Nevadans who have gained coverage under President Barack Obama's signature health law.
Conservative governors were not much more supportive. Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin suggested that Congress consider a better-funded version of the measure proposed earlier this year by Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana that would offer states more flexibility over how to run their health care programs.
And in a sign of the furious efforts in Washington, Mr. Sandoval revealed that he had been lobbied personally by President Trump in a phone call. Mr. Sandoval declined to discuss the specifics of their discussion, which he said took place after his high-profile announcement last month with Mr. Heller that both would oppose an earlier version of the Senate bill. Trump is known to want a victory regardless of what the final bill is.
Gov. Phil Scott of Vermont, a Republican who won election in November even as Hillary Clinton carried his state by more than 20 percentage points, said the bill could cripple the health care system in Vermont.
We've expanded Medicaid and even a small tweak could have a devastating impact on us as a state, Mr. Scott said. We've made great strides at protecting the most vulnerable and I believe, in its present form, this would not be good for Vermont.
What many Republicans fear is that action on what they have long derided as Obamacare also matters a great deal to their base. Failing to find consensus and act could prove just as risky politically, some here said.
I do have concerns when Republicans have the House, the Senate, the presidency and 33 governorships across the country and we still don't govern, Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona said.
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