GOP congressman says health-care proposal is the most 'universally detested piece of legislation' he's ever seen


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
The House is planning to vote Thursday on the Republican proposal to replace ObamaCare, known as the American Health Care Act. The bill — drafted mostly by House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) — has faced criticism from both sides of the aisle, as some Republicans object to its keeping certain provisions of former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, while Democrats have pointed to the millions of Americans who would lose insurance.
President Trump has declared his support for the American Health Care Act, and The Washington Post reported last week that Trump was "relishing a role as a high-stakes 'closer'" in the negotiations over the bill. Trump has asked several members of the House directly to support the bill, the Post reported, and Ryan said earlier this month he was confident Republicans would produce the 218 votes needed to advance the bill to the Senate.
But one Republican congressman, Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), hinted at a much different reality in a tweet Monday morning:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Amash was elected to Congress in 2010. He is a member of the House Freedom Caucus, which said Friday it "opposes the GOP replacement bill in its current form."
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Kimberly Alters is the news editor at TheWeek.com. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
The week's good news: Sept. 28, 2023
It wasn't all bad!
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Make America dumb again
By The Week Staff Published
-
Will Democrats save Kevin McCarthy's speakership?
Today's Big Question On the eve of a likely government shutdown, the speaker is left with no good choices
By Joel Mathis Published
-
FDA to re-evaluate effectiveness of common nasal congestion ingredient
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
A flesh-eating bacteria is growing in numbers due to climate change
Speed Read
By Devika Rao Published
-
CDC recommends new RSV vaccine for infants under 8 months
Speed Read
By Devika Rao Published
-
U.S. health agency advises easing federal marijuana restrictions
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Medicare drug price negotiations start with 1st 10 drugs, pharmaceutical industry lawsuits
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Air pollution may be increasing antibiotic resistance, new research suggests
Speed Read
By Devika Rao Published
-
Tick bites could cause an allergy to red meat, CDC says
Speed Read
By Devika Rao Published
-
The danger of drinking too much water
Speed Read
By Devika Rao Published