President Obama will meet with Democratic lawmakers during his final days in office in an attempt to protect his signature health care policy, the Affordable Care Act, from Republican efforts to unravel it once President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The outgoing president has a strategy meeting scheduled Wednesday with members of his party from both the House and Senate.
Congressional Republicans have pledged to promptly repeal ObamaCare, but they will wait two or three years to replace it until an alternative plan can be crafted to produce minimal disruption. The GOP is divided on whether to make piecemeal alterations or throw out the entire program in favor of a fresh start, an ambiguity Obama may try to exploit.
Obama has also scheduled a farewell speech in Chicago for Tuesday, Jan. 10. The appearance is open to the public and will be followed by a smaller event for Obama campaign alumni from 2008 and 2012.