Fate of Obamacare repeal could be decided in Congress next week

Republican leaders hope to hold a critical vote on legislation that repeals and replaces Obamacare, but they will start the week negotiating support for the proposal within their own party.

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The House will begin consideration of a fiscal 2018 budget and will also take up "Kate's Law," an immigration measure, as well as legislation that takes on "sanctuary city" policies.

Republicans in both chambers will be focused on the Senate, however, where the fate of the healthcare reform bill lies.

Senate GOP leaders will work with their conference to find an agreement on the text of the healthcare reform legislation, which Majority Leader Mitch McConnell hopes to bring to the floor for a vote before the chamber adjourns for the July 4 recess.

McConnell, R-Ky., released a 142-page "discussion draft" last week that attracted tepid support from some Republicans and outright opposition from others, indicating it won't pass in current form.

Republican leaders plan to make changes to the bill before bringing it to the floor to win over critical senators wary of the plan to wind down Obamacare's Medicaid expansion.

Five Republican senators declared outright opposition to the draft last week.

Republicans can afford to lose only two in their conference if the bill is to pass with a simple majority.

The Senate has rejected a House-passed bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, electing instead to incorporate elements of the legislation from across the Capitol.

Republicans hope to pass the Senate bill, clear it through the House and send it to President Trump prior to the August recess, reserving the remainder of the legislative year for tax reform.

If the bill stalls in the Senate, it could extinguish for the year the opportunity to repeal and replace Obamacare, a key GOP campaign promise.

House lawmakers, meanwhile, may attempt to move ahead on passing a fiscal 2018 budget, a process that is now more than two months behind schedule.

House Republicans hope to mark up a plan next week that raises defense spending and cuts domestic spending slightly to pay for the military boost.

The proposal won't win over Democrats, however, and many Republicans believe they will ultimately have to cut a bicameral deal with the minority on spending caps.

The budget panel as of last week had not scheduled a markup of a budget proposal.

The House is also planning two immigration-related votes.

The first, Kate's Law, would fulfill one of Trump's campaign promises to respond to the 2015 death of Kathryn Steinle, who was shot by an illegal immigrant who had been deported five times.

The bill, sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., would boost penalties and sentences for criminals who have been previously deported.

Lawmakers will also vote on the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, which would strip federal funding from jurisdictions, such as San Francisco, that prohibit local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement officials. The legislation would also permit lawsuits by victims of crime against jurisdictions that practice sanctuary city policies.