Trump praises health care bill, but conservatives skeptical

President Donald Trump and his top health official praised the new House Republican health care legislation Tuesday, even as surging conservative opposition complicated party leaders’ drive to sell the proposal to rank-and-file lawmakers and the public. Trump’s morning tweet lauding “our wonderful new Healthcare Bill” kicked off the day.

Chorus of conservatives slam the Republican ‘Obamacare’ repeal

A growing list of conservative groups and lawmakers balked on Tuesday at House Republicans’ plan to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, condemning the replacement health care bill “Obamacare 2.0.” , a Republican health care bill that maintains some of the most popular provisions of the 2010 Affordable Care Act and was revealed on Monday. . “The overwhelming response from our activists is, ‘This is not what we meant or expected when we voted for Congress to repeal Obamacare.

House, Senate Conservative Republicans Plan Own Obamacare Repeal Bill

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., criticizes the House Republican healthcare reform plan as “Obamacare light” during a television interview on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 7, 2017. ( Conservative Republicans in Congress said on Tuesday they oppose aspects of the Republican leadership’s healthcare bill and they plan to introduce their own legislation on Wednesday to repeal Obamacare.

Democratic lawmaker Cummings, Trump to meet over drug prices

U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings and President Donald Trump will meet to discuss efforts to lower prescription drug prices on Wednesday, Cummings, the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s top Democrat, said in a statement on Tuesday. Trump earlier on Tuesday said he is developing a plan that will encourage competition in the drug industry and bring down prices for medicines.

GOP congressman: Low-income people must choose iPhone or healthcare

A Republican congressman on Tuesday defended the GOP bill that would replace Obamacare, but he admitted people would likely lose coverage. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-UT, in a CNN interview responded to a question on the difference between “access” and “coverage” for low-income people by saying they would need to decide between insurance and gadgets.

The Latest: WikiLeaks says it reveals CIA hacking tools

The Latest on the publication by WikiLeaks of what it described as thousands of pages of confidential files about CIA hacking activities : Among the confidential documents published by WikiLeaks were a series of files purportedly attached to the CIA’s Operational Support Branch.

Becker College president selected to lead UMass Dartmouth

Robert E. Johnson, president of Becker College for the past seven years, was named the new chancellor of UMass Dartmouth on Tuesday. The University of Massachusetts board of trustees approved his nomination, which was recommended by UMass President Martin T. Meehan, in a unanimous vote, Meehan said in a tweet.

Democrats grill Rod Rosenstein on Russia

Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein faced a barrage of questions from Democratic senators Tuesday about how he would handle investigations into Russian meddling in last year’s election if he is confirmed to serve as the No. 2 official at Department of Justice.

OU backs Senate letter calling to double security funds for Jewish, Muslim instiutions

The Orthodox Union is backing a bipartisan letter circulating in the Senate that calls for doubling security funding for non-profits, citing threats to both Jewish and Muslim institutions. “At a time when children being evacuated from daycare centers in response to repeated bomb threats and mosques are deliberately being set on fire, we must ensure that all organizations that face these threats have the support they need,” says the letter to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly authored by Sens. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.

House GOP releases bill replacing Obama health care overhaul

House Republicans on Monday released their long-awaited plan for unraveling former President Barack Obama’s health care law, a package that would scale back the government’s role in helping people afford coverage and likely leave more Americans uninsured. House committees planned to begin voting on the 123-page legislation Wednesday, launching what could be the year’s defining battle in Congress and capping seven years of Republican vows to repeal the 2010 law.

Connecticut WWII veteran receives Belgian Honor

When Ernest Maynard first put on his olive drab Army uniform some 74 years ago, he expected nothing in return, he said. On Monday, wearing that same uniform, Maynard was given the Belgian Fourragere for his service with the 92nd Armored Field Artillery Battalion with the 2nd United States Armored Division.

The House Plan To Repeal And Replace Has Been Unveiled

House Republicans on Monday released their long-awaited plan for unraveling former President Barack Obama’s health care law, a package that would scale back the government’s role in helping people afford coverage and likely leave more Americans uninsured. House committees planned to begin voting on the 123-page legislation Wednesday, launching what could be the year’s defining battle in Congress and capping seven years of Republican vows to repeal the 2010 law.

GOP Senators Cry Foul Over Medicaid Expansion Repeal

The House Republican plan to phase out the Obamacare Medicaid expansion by 2020 may be a nonstarter for some Senate Republicans-and could potentially threaten the larger repeal-and-replace process. Shortly before House lawmakers revealed a revamped version of their Obamacare repeal-and-replace bill Monday evening, four Republican senators sent a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell saying they would not support an earlier draft from Feb. 10 that repeals Medicaid expansion because it “does not meet the test of stability for individuals currently enrolled in the program.”

Black’s Balancing Act: The Budget Gavel and a Possible Governor Run

Just three weeks into her new job as House Budget Committee chair-and 20 months before an election that could be pivotal to her political future-Diane Black already faces a tricky balancing act. The Tennessee Republican, whose foray into leadership came unexpectedly when Tom Price was tapped for the Cabinet last January, will now oversee the budget reconciliation process expected to serve as a vehicle for both Obamacare repeal and tax reform this year.

Reuters: GOP repeal plan will emerge this week

The Republican Party’s long-awaited plan to undo ObamaCare will finally emerge this week, according to Reuters . Two months into the new session of Congress and their first real opportunity to make good on promises to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the legislative language will get published for debate in the House and Senate.

New Hampshire delegation: Revised travel ban about politics

New Hampshire’s Democratic congressional delegation said Monday that changes to President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban still left them feeling as if it was more about politics than security. U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan said she supported improving the vetting process but didn’t believe the revised ban would achieve that.

White House aides defend Trumpa s wiretapping claim

White House officials on Monday defended President Donald Trump’s explosive claim that Barack Obama tapped Trump’s telephones during last year’s election, although they won’t say exactly where that information came from and left open the possibility that it isn’t true. The comments came even as FBI Director James Comey privately asked the Justice Department to dispute the claim because he believed the allegations were false.

Jennifer Burns:

Ayn Rand is dead. It’s been 35 years since hundreds of mourners filed by her coffin , but it has been only four months since she truly died as a force in American politics.

Trump hotel is the place to be in the nationa s capital

At a circular booth in the middle of the Trump International Hotel’s balcony restaurant, President Donald Trump dined on his steak – well-done, with ketchup – while chatting with British Brexit politician Nigel Farage. A few days later, major Republican donors Doug Deason and Doug Manchester, in town for the president’s address to Congress, sipped coffee at the hotel with Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif.

Donald Trump, Eric Trump, Melania Trump, Tiffany Trump, Ivanka Trump

At a circular booth in the middle of the Trump International Hotel’s balcony restaurant, President Donald Trump dined on his steak – well-done, with ketchup – while chatting with British Brexit politician Nigel Farage. A few days later, major Republican donors Doug Deason and Doug Manchester, in town for the president’s address to Congress, sipped coffee at the hotel with Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif.

Trump presses Congress on wiretap claims

President Donald Trump turned to Congress on Sunday for help finding evidence to support his unsubstantiated claim that former President Barack Obama had Trump’s telephones tapped during the election. Obama’s intelligence chief said no such action was ever carried out, and a U.S. official said the FBI has asked the Justice Department to dispute the allegation.

Republicans in Maine, Utah want Trump to undo monuments

Roxanne Quimby, the founder of Burt’s Bees, poses next to white pine in Portland, Maine, on March 14, 2011. Maine Gov. Paul LePage has asked Republican President Donald Trump to undo Democratic former President Barack Obama’s designation of a national monument and give back the land that was donated for it.

Pence fought against releasing records as governor

Vice President Mike Pence repeatedly stonewalled media requests to view public records when he was Indiana’s governor, including emails about state business distributed from a private AOL account that was hacked last year. Revelations Pence used the account to discuss homeland security and other official matters, first reported Thursday by the Indianapolis Star, are just the latest in a series of transparency battles involving the Republican’s tenure as governor.

MT: ‘Poet-musician’ among Democrats running for congressional seat

“Democrats from across Montana converged in the capital Sunday to nominate a candidate to fill the state’s only congressional seat, vacated by Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke to lead the U.S. Interior Department. About 150 delegates were choosing from eight candidates, including two legislators and several political newcomers, to represent the Democratic Party in a special election May 25. ‘I come here not as a career politician rising through the ranks,’ said Rob Quist, a well-known entertainer.

Republicans Expected to Unveil Healthcare Bill This Week

Republican U.S. lawmakers expect to unveil this week the text of long-awaited legislation to repeal and replace the Obamacare healthcare law, one of President Donald Trump’s top legislative priorities, a senior Republican congressional aide said on Sunday. Since taking office in January, Trump has pressed his fellow Republicans who control Congress to act quickly to dismantle former Democratic President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act and pass a plan to replace it, but lawmakers in the party have differed on the specifics.

The Latest: Dems seek details of communications about Russia

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., right, and the committee’s ranking member Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., leave after talking to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 2, 2017, following a briefing with FBI Director Jim Comey about Russian influence on the American presidential election.

Rep. Richmond apologizes for Conway remarks

Rep. Cedric Richmond apologized to White House adviser Kellyanne Conway on Sunday night for making crude remarks at a Washington dinner last week about a photo showing Conway on her knees on an Oval Office sofa. “After a discussion with people I know and trust, I understand the way my remarks have been received by many,” the Louisiana Democrat said in a statement.

Comey asks Justice Department to reject Trump’s wiretapping claim

FBI Director James B. Comey asked the Justice Department over the weekend to publicly reject President Trump’s assertion that Barack Obama ordered the tapping of Trump’s phones, senior US officials said Sunday. Comey has argued that the highly charged claim is false and must be corrected, they said, but the department has not released any such statement.