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New York Times wrote:
Senate Republicans Say They Will Not Vote on Health Bill

September 26, 2017

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans on Tuesday officially abandoned the latest plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act, shelving a showdown vote on the measure and effectively admitting defeat in their last-gasp drive to fulfill a core promise of President Trump and Republican lawmakers.

The decision came less than 24 hours after a pivotal Republican senator, Susan Collins of Maine, declared her opposition to the repeal proposal, all but ensuring that Republican leaders would be short of the votes they needed.

“We haven’t given up on changing the American health care system,” Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, said after a lunchtime meeting of Republican senators. “We are not going to be able to do that this week, but it still lies ahead of us, and we haven’t given up on that.”

Mr. McConnell said Republicans would move on to their next big legislative goal: overhauling the tax code, a feat that has not been accomplished since 1986.

Democrats, who have spent all year fighting to protect the Affordable Care Act, a law that is a pillar of President Barack Obama’s legacy, responded by calling for the resumption of bipartisan negotiations to stabilize health insurance markets. Republican leaders had squelched those talks as the latest repeal plan, written by Senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, gained steam.

[. . . ]

Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee and the chairman of the Senate health committee, and Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the senior Democrat on the panel, have been working on legislation to stabilize insurance markets and hold down premiums in the next couple of years. Both said on Tuesday that they hoped to resume those efforts.

Millions of people who buy insurance on their own face sharp increases in premiums next year, and Trump administration officials have taken a number of steps that have already undermined the operations of the health law.

[. . . ]

The bill’s demise was welcomed by consumer groups, doctors, hospitals and insurance executives who mobilized opposition to the proposal. The Congressional Budget Office said Monday that the bill would have reduced projected federal Medicaid spending by $1 trillion over a decade, added millions of Americans to the ranks of the uninsured and eliminated consumer protections for some people with pre-existing conditions.

[. . . ]

Mr. McConnell had planned for a vote before that deadline, but he could afford to lose only two Republicans. By Tuesday, three members of his party had already gone public with their firm opposition: Ms. Collins, Mr. McCain and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.

[. . . ]

And other Republican senators might have opposed it had party leaders moved forward. In a statement released after Senate Republicans decided not to do so, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who voted against the last repeal attempt in July, denounced what she described as “a lousy process.”

“The U.S. Senate cannot get the text of a bill on a Sunday night, then proceed to a vote just days later, with only one hearing — and especially not on an issue that is intensely personal to all of us,” Ms. Murkowski said, without saying which way she would have voted.

[. . . ]

But Mr. Graham still held out the hope that the repeal proposal would pass — just later, after Republicans tackle taxes, and when Republicans can consider the repeal plan in a more deliberative fashion.

[. .  . ]

After tackling the tax overhaul, Republicans could make another attempt at passing a health bill without needing any Democratic votes. But such an undertaking would require passing yet another budget blueprint, in order to protect the bill from a Democratic filibuster, and it would put health care front and center as lawmakers head into the midterm elections.

Thank you @SenJohnMcCain for being a hero again and again and now AGAIN

— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) September 22, 2017

Thank you @SenatorCollins for putting people ahead of party.  We are all in your debt.

— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) September 25, 2017

Vox wrote:
Here's what Trump could actually do to help Puerto Rico

September 26, 2017

President Donald Trump could do a lot more to help Puerto Rico —a US territory with 3.4 million American citizens.

Instead, he’s tweeting about the NFL and blaming the territory for its own problems.

Since Hurricane Maria crashed into Puerto Rico on Wednesday, the vast majority of the island still has no power and more than half of the homes have no drinking water. The Category 4 winds knocked out the power system and most of the island's cell phone towers while flooding parts of the island with 30 inches of rain. The situation is dire.

In interviews about the challenges of turning the power back on, first responders on the ground said that the devastation is beyond anything they’ve ever seen.

[. . . ]

The president can’t single-handedly solve a major crisis like Maria, but there’s a lot he can do. He could, for example, ask Congress to pass a relief package for Puerto Rico, which would give FEMA and the island more money to rebuild. He could send more military resources to help with search and rescue operations. Instead he’s blaming Puerto Rico for its financial problems, fixated on NFL protests, and doesn't plan to visit the island for another week.

President Trump declared the island a major disaster zone on Thursday, unlocking basic emergency aid coordinated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. But it’s hardly enough. So far, FEMA has authorized the minimal response to one of the biggest natural disasters to afflict American citizens.

"It's complete devastation," said Fairfax Country Fire Chief Richard Bowers, who deployed a team of 80 search-and-rescue experts to the island as part of the federal response.

While this is a similar (initial) federal response that played out after Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Florida, emergency workers say the devastation in Puerto Rico is far worse and the obstacles are far greater.

The island's governor has begged for more federal help, but Trump has shown little interest in sending extra resources to the island. He hasn't even visited Puerto Rico six days after the storm hit, which presidents normally do immediately after declaring a federal disaster zone. On Tuesday, he announced that he would visit in a week —two weeks after the storm hit. The president showed after Harvey and Irma that he can do a lot more for Puerto Rico than he is doing now.

Trump isn't pushing Congress for money

About 80 percent of the island's transmission lines are wrecked, and 100 percent of power lines that connect electricity to homes and businesses are down, he said.

"This is a big deal," said Buell. "That's billions of dollars [in damage]."

Puerto Rico doesn't have that kind of money. It's going to require Congress to pass a relief package to free up more federal dollars to fix the island's infrastructure problems. But first, the White House needs to send a request to Congress for the money. Trump hasn't even gotten that started. After Harvey hit Texas, Trump asked Congress for $8 billion in extra relief within six days.

So far, the White House hasn't announced plans to ask for similar help. Until that happens, federal workers are doing what they can to help Puerto Rico respond with the minimal amount of resources. But that won't be enough to rebuild the island. It won't even get the lights back on.

Emergency responders face enormous odds

[. . .  ]

While the Army Corp's work is essential, the division is not responsible for getting power restored to private homes. That will require much more federal action — and money . . .

The governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, traveled to the island with about a dozen workers from the state's public utility company. The head of the New York Public Power Authority said they are in "triage" mode on the island, and are trying to help the local utility company get federal help.

"They are US citizens," said Gil Quiniones, the CEO of NYPA. "In time of need, especially in this situation of widespread destruction, we hope federal government will step up also."

Without extra money, Puerto Rico will stay in the dark. Trump needs to push Congress to get it.

Trump is blaming Puerto Rico for its own problems

Not only is Trump barely doing enough for Puerto Rico, he’s essentially argued that Puerto Rico is at fault — and responsible for its problems. In a harsh series of tweets Monday evening, Trump felt compelled to mention the island's financial problems.

Texas & Florida are doing great but Puerto Rico, which was already suffering from broken infrastructure & massive debt, is in deep trouble..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017

...It's old electrical grid, which was in terrible shape, was devastated. Much of the Island was destroyed, with billions of dollars....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017

...owed to Wall Street and the banks which, sadly, must be dealt with. Food, water and medical are top priorities - and doing well. #FEMA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017

[. .  . ]

. . . the president's message was pretty hard for Puerto Ricans to hear. The vast majority of people living on the island are not responsible for their government's bad decisions, and should hardly be punished for them.

[. . . ]

Based on his tweets, President Trump doesn't seem inclined to help Puerto Rico more than it already has, which is the bare minimum.

Trump could push the military to do more

With few hospitals getting enough power in Puerto Rico, it's baffling that the president hasn't sent more military help to the island.

Questions have been swirling about why the Navy has not deployed the USNS Comfort, a 1,000-bed naval ship with a trauma unit and X-ray machines. In 2005, the ship was sent to New Orleans to treat victims of Hurricane Katrina. In 2010, it arrived in Haiti after the large earthquake killed more than 200,000 people. The Department of Defense did not respond to specific questions from Vox about why the USNS comfort has not been deployed to Puerto Rico.


Here is what former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tweeted about that on Monday:

President Trump, Sec. Mattis, and DOD should send the Navy, including the USNS Comfort, to Puerto Rico now. These are American citizens. https://t.co/J2FVg4II0n
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 24, 2017

Meanwhile, the governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosselló, has been pleading the federal government for more help. He has asked for more resources from the Pentagon, such as helicopters and planes, to get help to people faster.   The Defense Department told Politico that it sent six Navy helicopters and three marine planes. The department also told Vox that a naval ship, the USS Kearsarge, has been deployed to Puerto Rico, where it has delivered 22,000 pounds of supplies and several medical evacuations.

The federal government's current, bare-bones response in Puerto Rico is completely insufficient to address the island's humanitarian crisis. For one, FEMA needs to expand its mission in Puerto Rico to include more extensive work on the island's public utilities, which is known as Category F assistance. That level of response was authorized in Texas a few weeks after Hurricane Harvey hit. Puerto Rico will certainly need it, and Congress will need to approve a similar — if not larger — relief package for Puerto Rico.

At the very least, Trump could get more media attention on Puerto Rico. He visited Texas twice after the recent storm and went to Tampa, Florida, once. Both tours led to more coverage of the disasters, which in turn helps trigger more private donations for disaster relief efforts. It also puts pressure on Congress to pass a relief package.

Yet the president seems to be in no rush to get more help to Puerto Rico. By the time he visits the island next week, it may be too late for some islanders.