House Republican leaders reportedly pulled the American Health Care Act, or AHCA, off the table on Friday, saying the party failed to win enough votes.
“We came really close today, but we came up short,” House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a livestream press conference.
The decision came after the vote originally scheduled for Thursday was delayed until Friday, as President Donald Trump and supporters attempted to negotiate a deal on the legislation, which would have repealed and replaced the Affordable Care Act, or ACA.
Shortly before the Friday vote was scheduled, Ryan said he recommended that the legislation be pulled.
As a result, the ACA remains in place, which amounts to a resounding defeat for President Trump, who campaigned on a promise to bring an end to the Affordable Care Act.
The National Restaurant Association supported the AHCA, saying it was a first step toward reforming the employer mandate and lessening the burden employers have faced in complying with the Affordable Care Act.
But the NRA also advocated for additional changes to the bill.
Meanwhile, Ryan said he would confer with Republicans about how to proceed.
“This is a disappointing day for us,” Ryan said. “Doing big things is hard.”
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