Revised Health Bill Scuttled as More Republican Senators Voice Opposition - Part B News

Michael Strazzella, Practice Group Leader of Buchanan's Federal Government Relations practice and head of Buchanan's Washington D.C. office, was quoted in Part B News' article "Revised Health Bill Scuttled as More Republican Senators Voice Opposition." (subscription required)

Gaining enough support for the reworked BCRA was an uphill battle, even before a recent surgery to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., figured to shelve a scheduled floor vote for "longer than a week," notes Mike Strazzella, co-head of the Washington, D.C., office of law firm Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney and practice group leader for federal government relations.

Now that McCain has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, the unknown length of his absence is putting any lawmaking efforts in jeopardy. Should the latest repeal tactic fail, attention may move to other high-priority needs, says Strazzella. "In the short term, Congress has several time-sensitive issues, such as funding the federal government, the national debt" and other items.