U.S. House Speaker Ryan urges Senate to repeal Obamacare

U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan addresses the media during a news conference with bipartisan lawmakers, after the island was hit by Hurricane Maria, in San Juan, Puerto Rico October 13, 2017. REUTERS/Alvin Baez/Files

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate should focus on repealing and replacing Obamacare, a spokesman for House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said on Wednesday, one day after bipartisan senators announced a plan to temporarily stabilize the healthcare program.

Ryan spokesman Doug Andres, asked for the speaker's reaction to the plan by Republican Senator Lamar Alexander and Democratic Senator Patty Murray, said: "The speaker does not see anything that changes his view that the Senate should keep its focus on repeal and replace of Obamacare."

(Reporting By Richard Cowan; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)