Republicans link tax plan to repealing part of Obamacare

This article is more than 12 months old

Nov 16, 2017 06:00 am

WASHINGTON US Senate Republicans linked repealing a key component of Obamacare to their ambitious tax-cut plan, raising new political risks and uncertainties for the tax measure that financial markets have been monitoring for months.

In comments that infuriated Democrats and left some senior Republicans unsure what comes next, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell told reporters: "We are optimistic that inserting the individual mandate repeal would be helpful, and that is obviously the view of the Senate Finance Committee Republicans as well."

The finance panel, which had been in session for two days, abruptly adjourned on Tuesday as Democrats slammed the Republicans' handling of their tax proposals, for which formal legislative language has still not been unveiled. - REUTERS