Rep. Raul Labrador on Tuesday shot down the notion House Freedom Caucus demands in the failed negotiations over health care showed that its members don’t care about the most vulnerable members of society.
“That is completely false,” Mr. Labrador said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
The Idaho Republican, who opposed the bill that President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan tried to push through the House last week, said that the Freedom Caucus wanted to reduce the cost of health care for everybody.
“Every health care expert understands that about 67 percent of the increases of health insurance are based on essential health benefits and this Title 1 that provided more regulations in the health care industry,” he said. “We can get rid of those things and reduce the cost of health insurance for most Americans.”
He said the government should be responsible for taking care of people that “cannot fend for themselves,” but said it should not be responsible for providing health care for everyone.
While the Trump administration has said it is moving on to other issues, Mr. Labrador said members of Congress should continue to push for a compromise on health care.
“I think this is just the beginning and I think over the next month or so it is incumbent upon us as House members - especially as Republicans in the House - to come up with an alternative solution that all Republicans can vote for,” he said.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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