WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) made this statement on news the Senate may not try to Repeal and Replace Obamacare in 2018.

“To those who believe – including Senate Republican leadership – that in 2018 there will not be another effort to Repeal and Replace Obamacare -- you are sadly mistaken. 

“By eliminating the individual mandate in the tax bill we have pulled one of the pillars of Obamacare out.  But by no means has Obamacare been repealed or replaced. 

“Obamacare is still the law of the land and will continue to crumble which will drive up insurance costs for hard-working Americans and eventually pave the path to single-payer health care.

“I’m fully committed to Repealing and Replacing Obamacare in 2018 by block-granting the money back to the states and away from Washington bureaucrats who are completely unaccountable to the patients of America.

“To be successful we will need presidential leadership with the same passion to replace Obamacare as President Obama demonstrated in passing Obamacare.  

“We will need House and Senate leaders on the Republican side as committed to repealing Obamacare as Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid were to passing it.

“I know that Republicans and the large group of middle of the road Americans are counting on the GOP to replace Obamacare with something that works better for them and their families. 

“I look forward to working with President Trump, our House and Senate Republican leadership, and the private sector to make Repeal and Replace of Obamacare a reality in 2018.

“It will be a difficult task but failure is not an option.”

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