Republican senators criticize CBO, welcome health-care plan

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday the Congressional Budget Office report on a Republican healthcare plan indicated a path to lower insurance premiums, a lower deficit and significant entitlement reform.

McConnnell said the Senate would bring up the House of Representatives legislation and have it open to amendment before passing it. At the same news briefing, Republican Senator Roy Blunt said the CBO is "notoriously bad" at anticipating what will happen in the marketplace.

McConnell also said lawmakers would talk to the Treasury secretary about timing but "obviously we will raise the debt ceiling."

(Reporting by Susan Cornwell and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Leslie Adler)