![President Trump acknowledged that the draft bill has a slim chance of survival on the floor of the Senate. [Image via The Hill/ thehill.com]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/6/24/660x290/b_502x220x82/overnight-healthcare-trump-calls-house-health-bill-mean-thehillcom_1404583.jpg "President Trump acknowledged that the draft bill has a slim chance of survival on the floor of the Senate. [Image via The Hill/ thehill.com]")
Reuters reports that US President Donald Trump called Republican senators Friday to solicit for support for their party’s Healthcare Bill. The President also acknowledged that the draft bill has a slim chance of survival on the floor of the Senate.
Five Republican senators have said they were withdrawing their support for the draft bill, which is meant to repeal and replace affordable care act, also called Obamacare.
President Trump calls lawmakers
On Friday, the White House said President Trump has made contact with Mitch McConnell, Senate majority leader, and also called several other Republican lawmakers on Thursday and Friday.
Trump is expected to play more prominent role in coming days as the vote for the legislation get closer. Republican leaders may depend on the President to pressure conservative lawmakers who are opposed to the bill.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that the administration is pleased with the massive support they are receiving and they will continue to work through the process, especially, the four individuals that expressed reservations on the legislation, he said.
Republicans cannot afford to lose more than two of their 52 senate members if they hope to pass the bill, since all Democratic senators are expected to oppose the legislation.
Sen. Heller's announcement
Republican Sen.Dean Heller, announced on Friday he would be opposing the bill in its current form, the statement comes immediately after the speech by Spicer.
At a press briefing in Las Vegas, Heller said the bill before the US Senate was not the answer. He is a moderate, who will be seeking for re-election in 2018.
The White House said Trump has directed his team to devise plans that would get the needed support to scale through the legislation in the Senate.
Campaign against Heller
America First Policies, a political group aligned with the White House policies, said it is mobilizing a massive campaign against Sen. Heller for opposing the bill.
Upon Heller’s announcement, healthcare stock suffered immense losses Friday, after the sector fell sharply in the afternoon.
The 142-page draft bill by the Senate, was secretly working out by McConnell led group.
The legislation is aimed at delivering President Trump’s core campaign pledge to replace President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, which provides coverage to over 20 million Americans. The law was passed in 2010.
