Senators Graham, Cassidy press exchange on healthcare block grant bill, Democrat opposition

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham is asked about prospects for healthcare under his bill, cosponsored with Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy. Graham says the bill needs 50 votes, and conservatives believe in federalism, so the last effort to repeal and replace the affordable care act did not embrace the principle put forward by their bill, that Republicans like the idea of state-controlled healthcare. Graham says he would hate to be the Democrat who votes against more money for their state and less power, that to reject that money and control would mean they believe someone in Washington cares more about their constituents than their states and to help other states more than themselves, just what a Democrat would have to face by voting no on the bill. Graham says that a Republican who votes against paddock federalism would have to explain to others why Washington knows better and every state would do better under a block grant program, calling his bill much more fair, predicting there will be many Democrats are struggling with a no vote because the states of at least eight of them would do better. Cassidy says there will be a chance to look at a projection by the Congressional Budget Office prior to a vote.