Â鶹ŮÓÅ

Congressional Republicans are divided over how to respond to an approaching Supreme Court decision on President Barack Obama's health care law, even as growing numbers concede that their long-sought goal of repealing the statute will have to wait. Should the plaintiffs prevail in the GOP-backed lawsuit, the justices could annul one of the law's backbones: federal subsidies helping around 7.7 million people afford health insurance in more than 30 states. Republicans broadly agree that Congress should react by temporarily replacing that aid, aware that abruptly ending it would anger millions of voters before the 2016 presidential and congressional elections. (Fram, 4/30)

Congressional Republicans have yet to unite behind any of the growing number of proposals for responding to a Supreme Court ruling that could void federal subsidies that millions of people use to buy coverage under President Barack Obama's health care law. The decision is expected by June. (4/30)

Facing sharp disagreements among themselves, congressional Republicans are nervously wrestling with how to respond if the U.S. Supreme Court in June strikes down premium subsidies in up to 37 states. There are at least five different proposals from Senate and House Republicans, and they differ considerably in scope. But all seem intended to put off or limit the pain of Americans losing their subsidies and coverage until after the 2016 elections. It's highly uncertain whether Republicans can unite behind a single plan, given that more conservative Republicans oppose any federal funding or regulatory role in expanding health coverage. And in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling in King v. Burwell striking down subsidies, any proposal that offers any subsidies could be scored by Congressional Budget Office as new spending. (Demko, 4/29)