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Two-year phase-out, so there's time to come up with a replacement system. mcconnell notes that a majority of senators already backed a house repeal bill when it came up in 2015. keep in mind, that's when obamacare was very unpopular. >> mcconnell's statement came just moments after the president posted a tweet along the same lines -- "republicans should just repeal failing obamacare now and work on a new health care plan that will start from a clean slate. dems will join in!" fallout from the defection of the two senators mcconnell had been counting on came quickly. our ryan nobles has more on...

That we have not heard a definitive opinion from whether they are in or out. what do you think the chances are that the changes made to this bill will find enough votes to get through the senate? >> reporter: well, this was always the risk with this strategy that the administration seemed to embrace, certainly leadership considered seriously which was to negotiate primarily with the conservatives and hope that the moderates could be brought on board with political pressure. they were potentially less ideological. so you saw vice president mike pence go to bat for the consumer freedom amendment...

Off? >> he is good. he has pulled more than one rabbit out of the hat. >> reporter: to try to win over moderates still on the fence, the new bill includes $45 billion to fight the opioid epidemic, $70 billion more to help lower income americans pay for care, and it keeps some of obama care's taxes on wealthy americans. >> everybody is looking for an idea that is more republican and does not run into the concept you're taking money from poor people to give to to research people. >> the new bill doesn't restore any of the deep medicaid cuts, and it includes a conservative proposal allowing peopl...

What health insurance you want. >> reporter: trying to bring conservatives like senator cruz on board may have cost leaders some more moderate vote, at least for now. harris. >> harris: peter ducey, thank you very much for keying this up for us. a number of republican senators maintain that this bill is not the way to do it. >> when you're keeping half the taxes, most of the regulation and creating a brand new insurance bailout superfund, that to most people doesn't look like repeal. i will vote against the motion to proceed. >> harris: bringing in luther strange. sir, thanks for being with us...

Thing to the floor? >> we have a lot of information to sort through. a lot of members will be discussing various amendments. we want to continually improve. >> reporter: are you willing to vote to proceed? >> no, i'm still digesting it. >> reporter: just a few minutes ago susan collins said right now she wouldn't vote to bring this bill to the floor either. it doesn't look like it even has the votes to go to the senate floor. at least one of the conservatives who stopped the bill last time from going to the bill said he's happy. that's senator ted cruz. that's because some of the language he w...