Pelosi Slams GOP ‘Cowardice’ on Obamacare Repeal With No Replacement

Republicans still don’t know what they want to do on health care, the Democratic leader says.

Republicans are dead set on acting swiftly to dismantle the Affordable Care Act without having a new health care reform platform in place because they know their party doesn’t have a way forward, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Monday.

The congressional GOP leadership’s preferred strategy on Obamacare ― dubbed repeal-and-delay ― is to begin moving filibuster-proof legislation through Congress as soon as lawmakers return this week, with an eye toward presenting it to President-elect Donald Trump to sign right after he’s inaugurated this month.

But Republicans plan to postpone developing their own health care proposals for up to four years ― after the next presidential election ― because the party has never been able to agree on what it wants to do instead.

To Pelosi, this signals that the House GOP leadership knows it faces major obstacles uniting its fractious caucus around what role the federal government should have in creating the conditions for more Americans to obtain affordable health insurance coverage.

“Repeal and delay is an act of cowardice on the part of the Republicans,” she said during a conference call with reporters Monday. “Where are they going to get the votes to replace? If, in fact, ideologically they’re opposed to a public role and any participation in the good health of the American people, where are they going to get the votes, unless they were to act in a bipartisan way?”

Pelosi and other top congressional Democrats including incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) have called for a “day of action” in support of the Affordable Care Act on Jan. 15. They’ve also asked Democratic lawmakers to stage events around the country opposing an Obamacare repeal, along with GOP proposals to cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.