President Donald Trump noted the "great progress on healthcare" Thursday after the House Budget Committee approved the American Health Care Act by a two-vote margin amid defections by three conservative Republicans.
Trump made the comment on Twitter:
The Budget Committee's vote was 19-17.
Three Republicans — Reps. Dave Brat of Virginia, Gary Palmer of Alabama, and Mark Sanford of South Carolina — joined Democrats to vote against it, arguing the plan was too similar to Obamacare.
They are members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.
"We are on track and on schedule," House Speaker Paul Ryan, who introduced the bill last week, said after the vote.
He added, while the main parts of the bill "are going to stay exactly as they are," Republicans were making unspecified "improvements and refinements."
Ryan said Trump was "deeply involved" and "helping bridge gaps" among Republicans to get a consensus plan.
House GOP leaders have said they hope to get the bill to the floor by the end of the month, so it can go to the Senate before their mid-April recess.
President Trump has been speaking on the healthcare plan this week, telling Fox News on Wednesday the proposal was "very preliminary" and it would most likely change during Senate negotiations.
"If we're not going to take care of the people, I'm not signing anything," Trump told Tucker Carlson.
However, conservatives have derided the bill — calling for a quicker end to the Obamacare Medicaid expansion, set for 2020 under the proposal, and for work requirements for some Medicaid recipients.
They also have slammed the age-based tax credits to help people buy insurance on the open market a new entitlement.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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