Despite latest GOP failure, Trump says Obamacare will be repealed

WASHINGTON, Sept 27 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday lawmakers eventually would pass healthcare legislation, despite the Senate's latest failure to gather enough Republicans to repeal and replace Obamacare.

When it became clear on Tuesday that Trump's Republicans did not have enough support despite their Senate majority, Republican leaders decided not to put their latest version of Obamacare repeal to a vote. The bill's sponsors vowed to try again but face steeper odds after Saturday, when special rules expire that allow them to pass healthcare legislation without Democratic support.

Trump, in two tweets early Wednesday morning, said, "We will have the votes for Healthcare but not for the reconciliation deadline of Friday, after which we need 60."

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The president, who during his presidential campaign promised to repeal and replace Obamacare, also called for Congress to "get rid of Filibuster Rule," referring to the procedural tactic that allows the minority party to block action unless a 60-vote majority can be reached.

Congressional leaders said on Tuesday they were moving on to tax reform legislation. But the Senate's No. 2 Republican, John Cornyn, said on Wednesday that lawmakers also would continue to work on healthcare. He said the authors of the most recent Obamacare repeal bill, Senators Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy, hoped to increase support for their proposal.

Cornyn also said he supported the efforts of Republican Senator Lamar Alexander and Democrat Patty Murray to reach a bipartisan deal to repair Obamacare, but warned he would not favor "a bailout for insurance companies."

Alexander and Murray said Tuesday they were ready to resume talks, after Senate leaders opted not to hold a vote on the Graham-Cassidy bill.

After Saturday, the Senate no longer will have the ability to pass a healthcare bill with a simple majority of 51 votes. It would require at least 60 votes, meaning some Democratic support would be required. Republicans control the Senate by a 52-48 margin.

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Republican Senator Rand Paul, who opposed Graham-Cassidy as an incomplete repeal of Obamacare, said he expected the Trump administration to work for a change allowing individuals to purchase insurance across state lines through so-called health associations, a measure Paul has been advocating.

"I think there is going to be big news from the White House in the next week or two of something they can do on their own," he told MSNBC. (Reporting by Richard Cowan and Susan Heavey; Additional reporting by Makini Brice; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Bill Trott)