The Latest: McConnell praises new effort to repeal Obamacare

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is praising a last-ditch Republican bill to repeal and replace "Obamacare" - the latest sign the GOP's repeal effort may be back from the dead. McConnell calls the bill by Sens. Bill Cassidy and Lindsey Graham "an intriguing idea, and one that has a great deal of support."

Senate prepares for new version of healthcare bill

The new healthcare bill is expected to include Sen. Ted Cruz's amendment allowing insurance companies to offer plans to do not satisfy all of Obamacare's requirements for essential care as long as they have at least one plan that does. But some centrist Republicans have voiced concerns that the amendment might make care for those with pre-existing conditions prohibitively expensive.

South Dakota GOP senators won’t commit to new health bill

In this Aug. 17, 2016, file photo, U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., attends a forum with South Dakota's congressional delegation in Mitchell, S.D. Rounds said Wednesday, July 12, 2017, that changes expected to be unveiled in a revised Senate Republican health care bill will help improve the proposal.

Could conservatives back single-payer system?

Areal Flood Advisory issued July 12 at 10:22PM EDT expiring July 13 at 2:00AM EDT in effect for: Broward, Miami-Dade A Democratic senator said Tuesday that his conservative constituents are warming to the idea of universal government-run insurance, which has long been a policy goal of progressives. "What I'm hearing -- even in these conservative parts of my state that I lost by 30, 40% when I was running for re-election -- what I'm hearing is the system is way too stressful," Sen. Jeff Merkley told CNN's Alisyn Camerota during a discussion on health care legislation on "New Day."

Mitch McConnell: If repeal fails, GOP must bolster Affordable Care Act

Mitch McConnell, above on Capitol Hill in June, acknowledged on Thursday how difficult it is proving to craft an alternative health-care bill that can satisfy the GOP's conservative and centrist camps. Must credit: Washington Post photo by Jabin Botsford Mitch McConnell, above on Capitol Hill in June, acknowledged on Thursday how difficult it is proving to craft an alternative health-care bill that can satisfy the GOP's conservative and centrist camps.

Lawyers make last pitches in trial of ex-Sheriff Joe Arpaio

Prosecutors and defense attorneys on Thursday made their final pitches to a judge who will decide the fate of former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a defiant longtime lawman whose crackdowns on illegal immigration made him a national name but ultimately led to criminal charges. The former six-term sheriff of metro Phoenix intentionally ignored a court order to stop traffic patrols that targeted immigrants to keep his name in the news during a tough re-election year, prosecutor John Keller said in closing arguments at Arpaio's criminal trial.

Next step for Louisiana prison reform is to review life sentences: Opinion

Louisiana lawmakers took a promising first step this summer to address the state's embarrassing distinction as the world leader in incarceration. Though more ambitious proposals to significantly reduce the prison population were abandoned, the state is poised to save millions of dollars in corrections spending and enhance opportunities for people returning home from prison .

Prosecutor: Arpaio ignored court order to help re-election

By JACQUES BILLEAUD Associated Press PHOENIX - Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio intentionally ignored a court order to stop traffic patrols that targeted immigrants to keep his name in the news during a tough re-election year, a federal prosecutor argued Thursday at the end of Arpaio's criminal trial. The former six-term sheriff of metro Phoenix, whose crackdowns on illegal immigration made him a national name, knew that a judge barred the patrols but kept them up for nearly a year and a half for political reasons, prosecutor John Keller said in his closing argument.

Oregon approves measure requiring insurers to cover abortion

Insurance companies in Oregon would be required to cover abortions and other reproductive services at no cost to the patient regardless of income, citizenship status or gender identity under a measure approved Wednesday by lawmakers. Oregon already has some of the most liberal abortion laws in the U.S., leaving out otherwise common requirements for waiting periods or spending limits on taxpayer funds.

Ohio’s Republican senator to visit drug recovery center

Ohio's Republican senator plans to tour a drug recovery center in suburban Cincinnati after voicing opposition to proposed legislation to overhaul Barack Obama's health care law because of concerns about the impact on drug treatment. Second-term Sen. Rob Portman and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, Republican from neighboring West Virginia, issued a joint statement last week against the proposed legislation's cuts to Medicaid.

Ramesh Ponnuru

Republican efforts to pass health-care legislation are in jeopardy again, in part because of controversy over its potential impact on Medicaid. But the Republican reforms are more moderate, and more worthwhile, than they are getting credit for.