10 for Today: Thursday, March 9

HEALTHCARE: House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of La., left, joined by Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., holds up a copy of the original Affordable Care Act bill during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 8, as the GOP leadership talks about its work on the long-awaited Republican plan to repeal and replace “Obamacare.” The anti-secrecy group, meanwhile, raises the prospect of providing technology companies additional sensitive details it says it has about the agency’s hacking tools.

10 for Today: Thursday, March 9

HEALTHCARE: House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of La., left, joined by Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., holds up a copy of the original Affordable Care Act bill during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 8, as the GOP leadership talks about its work on the long-awaited Republican plan to repeal and replace “Obamacare.” The anti-secrecy group, meanwhile, raises the prospect of providing technology companies additional sensitive details it says it has about the agency’s hacking tools.

U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, other GOP leaders discuss ‘Obamacare’ plans with President Donald Trump

President Donald Trump dines with several Republican congressional leaders, including U.S. Majority Whip Steve Scalise on Wednesday, March 1. U.S. Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, was one of several Republican Congressional leaders who met over lunch with President Donald Trump on Wednesday to discuss plans for the repeal and replacement of the federal Affordable Care Act. “We are here to start the process.

Conservatives rebel on health care, and GOP looks to Trump

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., followed by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of La., leaves a closed-door strategy session on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, to meet with reporters before President Donald Trump’s speech to the nation. A month into the new administration, the GOP is discovering the difficulties of making good on its promises on repealing Obama’s health care law, and other issues.

GOP Lawmakers Scramble To Reach Consensus On Obamacare Repeal And Replacement Plan

GOP lawmakers have yet to reach a consensus on how to move forward with replacing President Barack Obama’s landmark health care legislation, which is leaving some anxious it might not happen. While a number of members are pushing for parts of the replacement language to be attached to the reconciliation bill, which only requires a simple majority in the Senate, critics fear the continual discussions are leading to paralysis.

Trump delivers for religious right

The last several days have brought a slew of victories for evangelicals, many of whom set aside their reservations about Trump to back him during the presidential campaign. From the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, to Trump’s affirmation of support for allowing tax-exempt churches to engage in politics, to the appointment of Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. to an education task force, evangelicals are seeing the new president quickly deliver on a number of fronts.

Family Research Council Applauds Pres. Trump’s Focus on Religious …

Contact: J.P. Duffy or Alice Chao, Family Research Council , 866-372-6397 WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2017 / Christian Newswire / — Yesterday morning, President Trump, in his remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast , said, “I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely without fear and retribution. I will do that.

Trump vows to – totally destroy’ restrictions on churches’ support of candidates

President Trump vowed Thursday to “totally destroy” a law passed more than 60 years ago that bans tax-exempt churches from supporting political candidates, a nod to the religious right that helped sweep him into office. Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Trump said he would seek to overturn the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits tax-exempt nonprofits – including churches and other houses of worship – from “directly or indirectly” participating in a political candidate’s campaign.

GOP lawmakers hope for message of unity, focus from Trump

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., joined by, from left, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of La., and Rep. Mimi Walters, R-Calif., meets reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, as he announced that he has invited President Donald Trump to address a Joint Session of Congress on … (more)

Congressional Republicans prepare to hear from Trump

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., joined by, from left, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of La., and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, as he announced that he has invited President Donald Trump to address a Joint Session of Congress on Feb. 28. PHILADELPHIA – Congressional Republicans eager to deliver are about to find out whether Donald Trump can stay focused on their goals in his first appearance before them as president. Trump will speak Thursday to House and Senate GOP lawmakers at their annual policy retreat.

Congressional Republicans prepare to hear from Trump

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., joined by, from left, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of La., and Rep. Mimi Walters, R-Calif., meets reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, as he announced that he has invited President Donald Trump to address a Joint Session of Congress on Feb. 28.

House takes first step toward gutting Obamacare

Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, center, walks to the House floor where representatives voted Friday to approve a budget resolution that is the first step in repealing the Affordable Care Act in Washington, D.C. Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, center, walks to the House floor where representatives voted Friday to approve a budget resolution that is the first step in repealing the Affordable Care Act in Washington, D.C. Congress took its first step toward rolling back President Obama’s health care reform law Friday, with the House voting along party lines to pass key preliminary legislation.

Concerns over dumping Obamacare growing among GOP lawmakers

From left, Vice President-elect Mike Pence, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of La. meet with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, following a closed-door meeting with the GOP caucus to disucss repeal of President Obama’s health care law now that the GOP is in charge of White House and Congress.

Trump says Mexico should reimburse US for border wall

His tweet followed media reports that his transition team and Republican leaders in Congress are considering a plan to fund the wall through the appropriations funding process as early as April. President-elect Donald Trump repeated his promise to make Mexico pay for a border wall in his latest wide-ranging Twitter storm early Friday morning.

Sources: Trump will ask Congress to pay for border wall

President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has signaled to congressional Republican leaders that the President-elect’s preference is to fund the border wall through the appropriations process as soon as April, according to House Republican officials. The move would break a key campaign promise when Trump repeatedly said he would force Mexico to pay for the construction of the wall along the border, though in October, Trump suggested for the first time that Mexico would reimburse the US for the cost of the wall.

Sources: Trump will ask Congress, not Mexico, to pay for border wall

President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has signaled to congressional Republican leaders that the President-elect’s preference is to fund the border wall through the appropriations process as soon as April, according to House Republican officials. The move would break a key campaign promise when Trump repeatedly said he would force Mexico to pay for the construction of the wall along the border.

House Republicans Move To Weaken Congressional Ethics Office

U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy laughs as he and House Speaker Paul Ryan, flanked by House Republican Whip Steve Scalise , introduce Representative Jason Smith and Representative Luke Messer as new members of the House Republican leadership team after their caucus held leadership elections on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. November 15, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst In an abrupt move made without the backing of their leaders, Republicans in the House of Representatives plan to dramatically scale back an independent congressional ethics office created eight years ago.