Efforts to replace the Affordable Care Act appear dead, as does an effort to repeal Obamacare.
Arizona’s congressional contingent is reacting to the news, and some Republicans are pointing fingers at each other while the state’s Democrats say the law needs to be repaired and not replaced.
After a similar version of the bill was passed through the House, GOP Rep. David Schweikert believes his colleagues in the Senate didn’t work enough to get a replacement passed.
"I’m disappointed. It would have been helpful to have them step up and actually do a bit more of the math and the work,” he said.
Schweikert isn’t sure a repeal-only bill makes any sense. But his Republican colleague Trent Franks believes it would ramp up the urgency.
“Then, as we see the need, Democrats will come on board and help us with this thing," Franks said.
And Phoenix-based Democrat Kyrsten Sinema does admits Obamacare needs some major fixing.
“The reality is the Medicaid expansion is working very well in most parts of the country, but the exchange is completely broken. The exchange is Arizona is a horrible mess," Sinema said.
Whatever is done, Sinema says its must be done bipartisanly.
