Pence Confident Health Care Legislation Will Pass

CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire | 4/19/2017, 8 a.m.
Vice President Mike Pence acknowledged Wednesday that some of the Trump administration's promises have not yet come to fruition, but …
Vice President Mike Pence

By Eugene Scott

CNN

(CNN) -- Vice President Mike Pence acknowledged Wednesday that some of the Trump administration's promises have not yet come to fruition, but he is confident that efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act will be fruitful.

"The President is determined to keep our promise and I'm very confident that in the days ahead, we're going to see the Congress come together and we're going to take that important first step to repeal and replace Obamacare with the kind of health care plan President Trump has envisioned," he told CNN's Dana Bash Wednesday.

Pence said he considers the first 100 days a success, pointing to the administration's efforts to expand jobs and its ability to get Justice Neil Gorsuch confirmed to the Supreme Court.

"I think at the 100-day marker, the American people are going to conclude what I have concluded: President (Donald) Trump is off to a great start. The best is yet to come," he said.

Trump attracted significant criticism from some in his own base for his about-face on Syria. But Pence said forcefully responding to chemical attacks from President Bashar al-Assad's regime was the correct thing to do.

"The President's decision to launch cruise missiles into Syria at the very airbase that launched a horrific chemical attack, which was the right decision," he said. "The American people know it and its been heralded across the world community."

Approval ratings for Trump's performance, according to many recent polls, is at record lows for a new commander in chief, but Pence said he "couldn't be more proud" to be a part of the current administration. And the vice president believes American voters will be able to pinpoint accomplishments as it reflects on the administration's first 100 days.

"As we approach the 100-day mark, the American people are going to be able to look back and see the presidency of Donald Trump and the determination and put in practice all the things that we can," he said.