Trump urges House Republicans to repeal Obamacare or lose seats

US President Donald Trump urged House Republicans Tuesday to get behind legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare or many of them will be at risk of losing their seats next year. The president’s warning comes as House leaders are pinning down a majority to pass the American Health Care Act, which will be presented to a vote on the House of Representatives Thursday.

Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., attested that Trump was "very direct" and assured that Republicans would pick up seats if they manage to fulfil their promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare. But if they fail, they might just lose their current seats in next year’s midterm congressional elections.

Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., said the president warned them of consequences if they fail to come together. "He wasn't threatening in any way. He was just giving us a pretty clear warning,” he clarified.

Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas shared that the president made it very clear that he is all-in on the Obamacare replacement. "This is a historic moment and a historic promise for Republicans to deliver on this Thursday,” the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee said.

House leaders earlier announced that they are doing some changes to the healthcare overhaul bill. The revisions reportedly include a provision sought by Republicans that would shift Medicaid costs from counties to the state government. House Speaker Paul Ryan said they are also working on making the legislation beneficial to elderly Americans.

This week, the president’s approval rating dropped to 37 percent based on Gallup’s daily tracking poll. A Fox News poll, on other hand, showed that only 34 percent of respondents are in favour of the proposed health measure.

The president intends to focus on the health care bill first, and then move forward with other issues, such as large tax cut. New York Times notes that he told attendees at a fund-raiser for House Republicans on Tuesday that he was eager to cut taxes but had to deal with the health care first.

Meanwhile, Ryan said he was confident about the American Health Care Act, the first major legislative initiative of Trump. He told "Fox News Sunday" that leaders are working to address concerns of rank-and-file Republicans to the legislation. The healthcare overhaul seeks to fulfil the president’s promise during the 2016 presidential campaign to repeal and replace Obamacare by former US President Barack Obama.