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Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) appears on CBS Face the Nation on March 12, 2017.

CBS News

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) hasnt been shy about his issues with the Republican health care overhaul plan -- and on Sunday, he said congressional conservatives are not going to vote for it.

Right now I think theres a charm offensive going on -- everybodys being nice to everybody because they want us to vote for this, but were not going to vote for it, Paul told CBS Face the Nation.

Paul said House Speaker Paul Ryan is pitching the health care bill as a binary choice between his overhaul plan and Obamacare as it currently stands -- and isnt interested in negotiating with the more conservative members of his party.

What were hearing is a binary choice is that its the Ryan plan or the status quo, he said. And what hes rammed through his committee is his, without any amendments, and thats the question. If we get what weve got from Ryan, Obamacare lite, he will not have the votes.

The biggest problem with the new GOP plan, Paul said, is that it doesnt fix the fundamental problem with Obamacare.

The one primary thing thats wrong with Obamacare thats visible to everybody is that premiums are rising through the roof, soaring in the individual market, Paul said. That will happen under the Ryan plan as well because they do nothing to fix the fundamental problem.

He repeatedly referred to the bill as Obamacare lite, saying it keeps the major components of Obamacare in place: it includes insurance subsidies, keeps certain taxes in place for one year, keeps the Cadillac tax in place indefinitely and still contains a penalty for people who dont get insurance.

Paul said the bill is currently in the pre-negotiation phase -- and that he believes President Donald Trump is open to negotiating.

I dont think the president is rigid in support of the House bill, I think hes open to seeing how we can get consensus, he said. And what Ive told the president is what Im telling everybody: were united on repeal, not so much on replacement. We do not agree with the fundamental three or four things that the ryan has: subsidies, taxes, mandates and insurance bailout.

Asked about Mr. Trumps claims that President Obama wiretapped Trump Tower during the 2016 campaign, Paul said he doesnt believe the Obama administration directly targeted Mr. Trump for wiretapping -- but that they may have picked up conversations of his associates while wiretapping foreign individuals.

I doubt that Trump was a target directly of any kind of eavesdropping but Im not saying it didnt happen, I think theres a very good chance it does, he said. I dont have any special information but the way it works is the FISA court ... wiretaps foreigners and then listens to Americans. Its a backdoor search of Americans.

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Rand Paul: Conservatives "not going to vote for" GOP health care plan - CBS News