Congress at crossroads after another GOP health care failure

WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress is at a crossroads after Republicans stumbled again in their drive to repeal President Barack Obama’s health care law.

The choice is between more partisan conflict or a shift toward cooperation.

Bipartisan talks on a bill to stabilize the health law’s shaky insurance markets are resuming. But time is short and there’s no guarantee of success. Open enrollment starts Nov. 1.

Adding to concerns: Congress has yet to renew funding for programs that traditionally enjoy broad support, such as children’s health insurance and community health centers, despite approaching deadlines.

Senate GOP leaders announced Tuesday they would not take their latest “repeal and replace” bill to the floor for lack of support. But some lawmakers said it’s still possible to bridge the partisan gap on a limited set of issues.

(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)