Trump Wants Health Care Bill Passed Next Week

"This thing is very much alive," Rep. Tom Cole tells CNN regarding the Republican health care proposal that appeared to have died in the House last month. Politico reports the White House is hoping to try a second time to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act as early as next Wednesday. Sources say President Trump has recently been pestering Paul Ryan about a Republican health care bill—sometimes multiple times a day. Senior White House officials says Trump is worried his failure on health care—he had promised to repeal the ACA on "day one"—will be the big story in retrospectives on his first 100 days in office next week.

Ryan says Republicans are adding "finishing touches" to a new health care proposal, and sources say the text of a new bill could be released Friday. The new health care deal is being negotiated by leaders from the conservative House Freedom Caucus and moderate Tuesday Group. According to the Washington Post, it's unclear there's any compromise that could please both moderates and conservatives enough to secure the necessary 216 votes in the House. Even if a new bill passes the House—the White House says it's "close" to having the votes—an even bigger hurdle looms in the Senate. (More health care reform stories.)