President Donald Trump took a victory lap on Capitol Hill Tuesday, emboldened by the end of the special counselB次元官网网址檚 Russia probe, even as Democrats demanded the release of Robert MuellerB次元官网网址檚 full report and intensified their focus on health care and other policy disputes.

The Affordable Care Act took centre stage for both parties after a season of congressional business thatB次元官网网址檚 been mostly about Trump, including the investigations and the government shutdown. Democrats believe health care is a big reason they were able to flip the House to their control last fall, and Trump told Republican lawmakers that figuring out the GOP version of the law will be a priority ahead of the 2020 elections.

Radiating a sense of vindication, Trump strode into the Senate RepublicansB次元官网网址� lunch flanked by party leaders. GOP senators applauded.

B次元官网网址淚t could not have been better,B次元官网网址� Trump said of the summary of the Mueller report by Attorney General William Barr, which did not find the president colluded with Russia over the 2016 elections. But Trump, too, was quick to turn to policy and the future, claiming, B次元官网网址淭he Republican Party will soon be known as the party of health care. You watch!B次元官网网址�

Inside the meeting, he urged Republicans to figure out a way to repeal President Barack ObamaB次元官网网址檚 signature health care law and replace it with a GOP version, a major Trump goal that has eluded the party during the first years of his presidency.

B次元官网网址淚 was a little surprised he came out of the chute in health care,B次元官网网址� said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., after the meeting B次元官网网址淗e wants us to try again.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 in a very good mood. HeB次元官网网址檚 in a good form,B次元官网网址� said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 always high energy. He had a little extra today.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲hat weB次元官网网址檙e seeing on Capitol Hill right now is that the Democrats are walking back any charges of Collusion against the President.B次元官网网址� Should never have been started, a disgrace!

B次元官网网址� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

TrumpB次元官网网址檚 trip to Capitol Hill came right after his administration said late Monday it would not defend the Affordable Care Act in a court challenge B次元官网网址� and as the House Democrats, led by Pelosi, were unveiling a sweeping measure to rescue the program, also known as B次元官网网址淥bamacare.B次元官网网址�

At her own closed-door caucus meeting Tuesday, Pelosi urged rank-and-file Democrats to B次元官网网址渂e calmB次元官网网址� and focus on policy promises that helped propel them to the House majority last fall. That means advocating for a robust policy agenda to improve health care and pay while conducting the oversight of the Trump administration many voters want.

B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 just get the goods,B次元官网网址� Pelosi said, according to an aide in the room granted anonymity to discuss the private caucus meeting.

The advice was reinforced by Obama, who counselled freshman Democrats at a reception Monday night.

Obama advised the newly elected lawmakers to listen to constituents B次元官网网址� and also identify issues they feel so strongly about that theyB次元官网网址檇 be willing to lose their House seats in fights over them, according to multiple people at the private party.

The former president recalled that as a state legislator he gave priority to his constituents, which helped keep his popularity high enough in Illinois that he could advocate for bold policy ideas.

The challenges for Democrats come as Trump has made clear heB次元官网网址檚 fired up to go on offence against those who propelled the narrative that he colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election.

Even before he arrived in the Senate, Trump tweeted his message about health care. When he walked into a cloistered parlour to lunch with Republicans, they applauded him.

Ahead of the Senate meeting, Trump was in a combative mood. He tweeted against the B次元官网网址渕ainstream mediaB次元官网网址� as B次元官网网址渃orrupt and FAKEB次元官网网址� for pushing the B次元官网网址淩ussian Collusion Delusion,B次元官网网址� previewing attacks on other opponents to come.

He has promised to go after those who did B次元官网网址渆vilB次元官网网址� things, perpetuating the collusion narrative.

Attorney General BarrB次元官网网址檚 summary said the special counselB次元官网网址檚 probe didnB次元官网网址檛 find collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government to tilt the 2016 presidential election. Mueller did not determine whether Trump obstructed justice in the investigation, but Barr and his team said no prosecution was warranted.

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Trump allies, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have encouraged him to use the political capital heB次元官网网址檚 now gained to accomplish policy goals. B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 go on about governing the country,B次元官网网址� said Graham, who spent the weekend with the president in Florida.

The chairman of the intelligence committee, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., stood up at the closed-door meeting and told his colleagues the most important thing now is the work on the ACA, according to those in the room.

Other leaders backed up the focus on policy.

B次元官网网址淚 believe that the Mueller report has been done. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a chapter thatB次元官网网址檚 closed,B次元官网网址� House Democratic Whip James Clyburn said on CNN. Health care, he said, B次元官网网址渋s the number one thing on peopleB次元官网网址檚 minds.B次元官网网址�

On the Trump-Russia track, Democrats pressed the Justice Department to provide the full report from Mueller, saying BarrB次元官网网址檚 four-page synopsis was insufficient.

B次元官网网址淚 havenB次元官网网址檛 seen the Mueller report. IB次元官网网址檝e seen the Barr report. And IB次元官网网址檓 not going to base anything on the Barr report,B次元官网网址� said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md.

B次元官网网址淭he president is saying heB次元官网网址檚 been completely and totally exonerated by the report. The one sentence weB次元官网网址檝e seen from the report says this is not an exoneration of the president.B次元官网网址�

Many Democrats say Barr is conflicted because of his views B次元官网网址� expressed in a memo to the administration before becoming attorney general B次元官网网址� that the president cannot be charged with obstruction since he oversees the Justice Department.

B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 move forward on a four-page memo,B次元官网网址� said Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard for me to accept that as an objective opinion.B次元官网网址�

Trump said the release of MuellerB次元官网网址檚 full report B次元官网网址渨ouldnB次元官网网址檛 bother me at all,B次元官网网址� and Democrats quickly put that statement to the test.

Six House Democratic committee chairmen wrote to Barr and asked to have MuellerB次元官网网址檚 full report by April 2. If not, they have suggested subpoenas could be issued.

___

Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey, Jill Colvin, Alan Fram, Mike Balsamo and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report.

Mary Clare Jalonick, Lisa Mascaro And Laurie Kellman, The Associated Press

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