Sen. Ron Johnson To Fellow Republicans: ACA Is ‘Not Going To Be Fixed Overnight’

Jan. 13--U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson is cautioning fellow Republicans, including President-elect Donald Trump and U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, against pledging a speedy repeal and replacement of President Barack Obama's health care law.

"It's not going to be fixed overnight. Let's be honest with the American public in terms of, this is going to take some time," Johnson told The Washington Post Thursday.

In a televised interview, Johnson, R-Oshkosh, also said he's troubled by an emerging rift between federal intelligence agencies and their soon-to-be boss, Trump.

How to address Obama's Affordable Care Act will be among the first and biggest issues taken up by Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress.

Ryan told the Racine Journal-Times Wednesday he expects the law to be repealed and replaced in the first quarter of this year.

Trump said Wednesday he plans to repeal and replace the law soon after he takes office and after the confirmation of his nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Rep. Tom Price.

Johnson said repairing what he called "the damage done" by the law, particularly to the individual health insurance market, will be complex and time- consuming.

In a separate interview with CNN Thursday, Johnson said health care law changes should "involve a series of piecemeal reforms as opposed to a complete overhaul."

"I have stopped using the terminology 'repeal and replace' ever since Obamacare got implemented, and I've taken some flak from my right flanks," Johnson told the Post.

Johnson, who defeated former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold in November to be re-elected to a second term, focuses on national security as chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

In recent weeks, Trump has publicly blasted U.S. intelligence agencies in a manner that's historically atypical for an incoming president.

After media outlets published reports of leaked allegations that Russian operatives claim to have compromising information on Trump, he lambasted spy agencies in a press conference, calling the leak "something that Nazi Germany would have done."

Johnson said those tensions need to be resolved.

"It's vital that we have an effective intelligence-gathering capability, that they are on board and working with the next president," Johnson said.

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