{"id":13105,"date":"2017-09-25T22:13:46","date_gmt":"2017-09-25T22:13:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/2017\/09\/25\/3-gop-senators-oppose-graham-cassidy-effectively-blocking-health-care-bill\/"},"modified":"2017-09-25T22:13:46","modified_gmt":"2017-09-25T22:13:46","slug":"3-gop-senators-oppose-graham-cassidy-effectively-blocking-health-care-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/3-gop-senators-oppose-graham-cassidy-effectively-blocking-health-care-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"3 GOP Senators Oppose Graham-Cassidy, Effectively Blocking Health Care Bill"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Scott Detrow<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

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\n Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., Susan Collins, R-Maine, in a 2013 file photo. They along with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., have announced firm opposition to the latest GOP health care bill.<\/p>\n

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Brendan Smialowski\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

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Brendan Smialowski\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

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The latest Republican push to repeal key parts of the Affordable Care Act appears to have met the fate of all previous Senate repeal efforts this year \u2013 it doesn’t have the votes needed to pass the chamber.<\/p>\n

Maine Sen. Susan Collins announced Monday that she’ll oppose the bill, authored by South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy. Collins’s decision means three Republicans have now publicly said they are against the bill \u2013 and that’s one more than the GOP could afford to lose. <\/p>\n

In a statement, Collins said, “Sweeping reforms to our health care system and to Medicaid can’t be done well in a compressed time frame, especially when the actual bill is a moving target.”<\/p>\n

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Senator Collins opposes Graham-Cassidy health care bills https:\/\/t.co\/nW6MFUvYVg<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/0DSxDJNMPp<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) September 25, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Cassidy was asked earlier Monday on CNN whether Collins’s opposition would mean it’s over for the bill and said, “Yes, it is.” It’s not clear yet whether Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would still bring the bill to the floor for a vote now that its fate is clear. <\/p>\n