Latest News
Trump signs executive order to begin dismantling Education Department, raising questions for students and parentsThe Center for Black Excellence and Culture announces Janine Stephens Hale as its Chief Administrative Officer UW hosts annual shark tank-style Arts Business CompetitionUW-Milwaukee chancellor finalists namedMarquette University presidential inauguration for Dr. Kimo Ah Yun set for April 29Jury finds Greenpeace liable for hundreds of millions in relation to pipeline protestTrump administration says deported migrants are gang members, but won’t name them or provide evidence
Home Featured Obamacare Repeal Goes Down in Stunning Defeat for GOP

Obamacare Repeal Goes Down in Stunning Defeat for GOP

By
Madison365 staff
-
0
Obamacare Repeal Goes Down in Stunning Defeat for GOP
Sen. John McCain, who was welcomed back to Senate with a standing ovation Tuesday, cast the deciding vote to defeat the so-called "skinny repeal" bill.

Senate Republicans’ last-ditch effort to repeal portions of the Affordable Care Act failed in the early morning hours as John McCain (R-Arizona) joined Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and all 48 Democrats in voting no.

After the Senate voted to proceed to debate the House-passed “repeal and replace” bill Monday, several versions failed before the final so-called “skinny repeal” bill was finally unveiled around 10 pm Eastern time Thursday. It was defeated by a vote of 51-49 just hours later.

McCain, who returned to the Senate after surgery found aggressive brain cancer, had sharply criticized the process Senate leadership used to advance the repeal and replace effort even as he voted for Tuesday’s motion to proceed, and continued that criticism after the vote early this morning.

“I’ve stated time and time again that one of the major failures of Obamacare was that it was rammed through Congress by Democrats on a strict-party line basis without a single Republican vote,” McCain said in a statement. “We must now return to the correct way of legislating and send the bill back to committee, hold hearings, receive input from both sides of aisle, heed the recommendations of nation’s governors, and produce a bill that finally delivers affordable health care for the American people. We must do the hard work our citizens expect of us and deserve.”
McCain’s surprise vote came after a prolonged drama on the Senate floor, according to CNN. Multiple Republican colleagues, including Vice President Mike Pence, engaged in animated conversations with McCain in a vain attempt to persuade him. At one point before the final vote, President Donald Trump called Pence, who handed the phone to McCain, a source briefed on the call told CNN.
Trump later took to Twitter to express his frustration.

 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said it was “obviously a disappointing moment” but “it’s time to move on.”