Cathy McMorris Rodgers: Too early to say what’s next on health care

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers is taking a wait-and-see attitude to any possible changes in the nation’s health care laws after the decision by House leadership to cancel a vote on the first phase of repealing and replacing Obamacare.

“It’s a little early yet to see what the way ahead will be,” McMorris Rodgers said shortly after House Speaker Paul Ryan scrapped a vote on the bill Friday afternoon.

The Spokane Republican, who supported the legislation that was pulled, insisted GOP members in Congress remain convinced on the need to address problems with the Affordable Care Act, just not on the way to do it.

“I’m disappointed we can’t find consensus,” she added.

McMorris Rodgers hosted a visit by President Donald Trump to the House Republican members on Tuesday at a time when he and GOP leaders were working to line up votes.

“I think the president wanted to see this done. He wanted to see a vote, and see it pass,” she said.

Those votes weren’t there on Friday afternoon as the time for voting approached, and the bill was pulled from the schedule.

“In the end, that was the speaker’s call,” said McMorris Rodgers, who is the fourth-highest ranking Republican in the House. “Everyone did everything that they could.”

Meanwhile, Gov. Jay Inslee, who has written to McMorris Rodgers urging her to vote against the bill, issued a statement hailing as a victory the vote cancellation, which he said meant Ryan and Trump “have failed in their misguided attempt to destroy health care in America.”

Washington residents made their voices heard with calls, letters and emails to Congress, he said: “This victory didn’t happen by chance.”