White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters during Friday's press briefing that the Congressional Budget Office's analysis is "not the gospel."
House Republicans on Thursday passed the American Health Care Act, which the GOP has touted as a plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, in a 217 to 213 vote. Republicans received criticism for not waiting for the CBO score of the health care bill before voting.
A reporter asked Sanders if the Senate is justified waiting for the CBO score to come out before voting on the bill when the House did not.
"Is the White House OK with the Senate waiting for the CBO even though it was justified yesterday in the House kind of racing past it?" the reporter asked.
Sanders said it is the Senate's decision whether to wait for the CBO score but added that the CBO's analysis is not above reproach.
"I think that's up to the Senate if they want to wait for that. That's not something that's held us back," Sanders said. "I think I know the gospel pretty well, and I would say the CBO is not the gospel."
Sanders' father, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, was a Baptist pastor for several years before entering politics.
Sanders went on to say that the CBO has been wrong before.
"They've been wrong before, they can certainly be wrong again, and, you know, I think, again, we'll let the Senate make a decision on whether or not they want to wait for that," she said.