The Latest: Democrats predict backlash for GOP
The Latest on congressional action on the GOP health care bill and the $1.1 trillion government-wide spending bill (all times local):
12:10 a.m.
Democrats say House Republicans up for re-election next year will face a public backlash if they vote to approve a GOP health care bill.
Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy told reporters late Wednesday that there are sufficient votes to pass the measure. That apparently means a vote will be held Thursday.
But Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says "Trumpcare" will strip coverage from millions and voters will hold them accountable. Budget analysts have estimated that 24 million could be uninsured by 2026, including 14 million by next year. Pelosi says the latest bill is being pushed through without a revised estimate from congressional budget analysts.
If it passes, it would be a major win for President Donald Trump and Speaker Paul Ryan after GOP opposition forced them to abruptly pull the bill in March.
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8:25 p.m.
The top House Democrat says House Republicans who vote for the GOP health care bill Thursday "are going to tattoo this moral monstrosity to their foreheads," and the American people will hold them accountable.
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who helped shepherd the Affordable Care Act into law seven years ago, issued a statement Wednesday shortly after House GOP leaders announced plans to vote on their measure.
Pelosi said that if Republicans pass "Trumpcare" millions will lose health coverage. Budget analysts have estimated that 24 million could be uninsured by 2026, including 14 million by next year.
She said Republicans were pushing through a bill without a revised estimate from congressional budget analysts.
Democrats say House Republicans up for re-election next year will face a backlash from voters over the bill.
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7:25 p.m.
House Republicans will vote on a bill to repeal major portions of Democratic President Barack Obama's health care law.
That's the word Wednesday night from Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who told reporters "yes" when asked if they have sufficient votes. Leaders have spent days scrambling to round up the votes for their legislation.
If the bill passes, it would be a major win for President Donald Trump and Speaker Paul Ryan after GOP opposition forced them to abruptly pull the bill in March.
The latest iteration of the GOP bill would let states escape a current requirement that insurers charge healthy and seriously ill customers the same rates. That's a major problem for moderate Republicans, but the announcement of a vote signaled that leadership believes the measure will pass.
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4:20 p.m.
The House has passed a $1.1 trillion bill to fund the government through the end of September, the first significant piece of bipartisan legislation of Donald Trump's presidency.
The 309-118 vote sends the bill to the Senate in time to act before a midnight Friday deadline to avert a government shutdown.
The White House says Trump will sign the measure, which gives him much of the money he sought for defense and border security but denies startup construction funding for Trump's oft-promise wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The measure is the product of weeks of Capitol Hill negotiations in which Democrats blocked Trump's most controversial proposals, including cuts to domestic programs backed by both parties and new steps to punish so-called sanctuary cities.
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1:25 p.m.
The House is debating a $1.1 trillion government-wide spending bill that has both Democrats and Republicans claiming victory — for now. Lawmakers are putting off until later this year fights over President Donald Trump's promised wall with Mexico and massive Pentagon buildup.
House Speaker Paul Ryan is assuring conservatives that the bipartisan bill is a win for Trump and Republicans controlling Congress. He says it's "a really good down payment" on rebuilding the military and "the biggest increase in border security in a decade."
Ryan told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt that the most important win for Republicans was breaking loose from former Democratic President Barack Obama's edict that increases in defense spending be matched with equal hikes for nondefense programs.
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11:22 a.m.
Two pivotal Republican lawmakers who had opposed GOP health care legislation are now prepared to support it after meeting with President Donald Trump.
Congressmen Fred Upton of Michigan and Billy Long of Missouri made their announcement to reporters at the White House after meeting with Trump Wednesday.
They said they will back the bill with inclusion of a new amendment Upton authored adding more money to protect people with pre-existing conditions.
Upton and Long both had announced their opposition earlier this week over the pre-existing conditions issue. Their defections dealt a major blow as House GOP leaders hunt for votes to salvage their top legislative priority.
Upton, a respected leader on health care issues, says he now believes the bill will be able to pass the House.
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10:52 a.m.
House Speaker Paul Ryan sought to assure conservatives on Wednesday that a massive government-wide spending bill is a win for President Donald Trump and Capitol Hill Republicans, citing "a really good down payment" on rebuilding the military and "the biggest increase in border security in a decade."
Ryan told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt that the most important win for Republicans was breaking loose from former President Barack Obama's edict that increases in defense spending be matched with equal hikes for nondefense programs.
The House is scheduled to vote on the bipartisan $1.1 trillion measure Wednesday afternoon. It is a product of weeks of Capitol Hill negotiations in which top Democrats like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi successfully blocked Trump's most controversial proposals.
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4:19 a.m.
A government-wide spending bill that President Donald Trump seemed to criticize Tuesday morning but now calls "a clear win for the American people" is headed for a House vote.
The House is scheduled to vote on the bipartisan $1.1 trillion measure Wednesday afternoon. It is a product of weeks of Capitol Hill negotiations in which top Democrats like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi successfully blocked Trump's most controversial proposals, including a down payment on oft-promised Trump's Mexico border wall, cuts to popular domestic programs, and new punishments for so-called sanctuary cities.
The White House instead boasted of $15 billion in emergency funding to jumpstart Trump's promise to rebuild the military and an extra $1.5 billion for border security.
Trump boasted that "this is what winning looks like."