The Hill is reporting that Fred Upton is saying he will not vote for the Republican health care bill because the compromise with the Freedom Caucus violates his principles or something:
Former House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) told GOP leadership he cannot support the revised GOP health care bill, Upton said in a local radio interview on Tuesday.
Upton told Michigan’s WHTC that the deal struck to bring on board Freedom Caucus conservatives went against his principles. The amended bill would allow states to waive ObamaCare protections preventing people with from being charged more based on their health, if certain conditions are met to provide coverage in high-risk pools.
“I’m not at all comfortable with removing that protection. I’ve supported the practice of not allowing pre-existing illnesses from being discriminated against from the very get-go,” Upton said in the interview. “This amendment torpedoes that. And I told leadership I cannot support this bill with this provision in it. …
“It’s not going to get my yes vote the way it is.”
Upton’s defection brings to 22 the number of GOP no votes on the revised health bill; one more Republican “no” could kill the measure, given that Democrats all plan to vote against it.
So we’re one vote away from this bill being defeated again. Wow.
The Freedom Caucus killed last healthcare effort, but to its credit, figured out a way forward. House moderates just keep saying no.
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) May 2, 2017