Influential Republican Rep. Fred Upton deals big blow to Zombie Trumpcare

Joan McCarter

Daily Kos Staff

Tuesday May 02, 2017 · 8:32 AM PDT

2017/05/02 · 08:32

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 08: Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) speaks during an event marking the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act at the U.S. Capitol December 8, 2016 in Washington, DC. The bill, passed with strong bipartisan support, provides funding for cancer research, the fight against the epidemic of opioid abuse, mental health treatment, aids the Food and Drug Administration in expediting drug approvals and pushes for better use of technology in medicine. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) — Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI)

The final blow to this iteration of Zombie Trumpcare might have just been struck.

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 pre-existing conditions from being charged more, 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 has been a reliable vote for and member of House Republican leadership. He was one of the votes that got the original Trumpcare out of committee. If Upton is bailing, he leaves a very big opening for any Republican who's been having second thoughts to follow in his wake.

House Republicans are hell-bent on ripping away our health insurance. Call your member of Congress at 202-224-3121, and demand they vote NO on a renewed Trumpcare that is worse than the one before. Remind them they work for you.

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