Senate votes 52-47 to gut key parts of Obamacare
HR 3762-which originated in the House and was amended by the Senate- would strip Planned Parenthood of federal Medicaid funding for one year, denying millions of low-income people around the country access to preventive health care including cancer screenings and contraception.
House Republicans have voted more than 50 times to repeal or delay the law, which Congress enacted with only Democratic votes.
The repeal passed 52-47 as part of budget reconciliation package, which required only 51 votes for approval. They lack the two-thirds Home & Senate majorities needed to override vetoes, assuring in that the bill’s chief objective will probably be for marketing crusade speaking points.
Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader, said: “President Obama will have a choice”.
With this latest attempt at repeal, the Republicans seem to be pouncing on a government report from last week that health care spending increased 5.3 percent a year ago, mainly due to the ACA’s expansion of coverage.
Democrats have argued that millions of people now have insurance and have seen their health coverage improved under the law.
“Today, Senate Republicans fulfilled our promise to end the negative consequences of Obamacare by repealing the president’s unaffordable health law”, said Utah Sen. Anti-abortion activists have released videos earlier this year, claiming that Planned Parenthood makes profit by selling tissues of unborn babies.
This is also the bill that defunds Planned Parenthood, for no reason beyond that Planned Parenthood has been positioned as an evil feminist boogeyman, with the aid of a bogus video. Another Republican who generally supports abortion rights, Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, ended up voting for the bill after much speculation that she would also defect. The Senate measure will have to return to the House before heading to Mr. Obama’s desk.
The legislation would eliminate Obamacare’s individual and employer mandates, the medical device tax and the so-called Cadillac tax. However, congressional Republicans have again introduced a bill to repeal Obamacare; this time, though, it is expected to pass the Senate.
The Planned Parenthood was in reference to the Colorado Springs clinic shooting where 14 people lost their lives in the attacks.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., accused Republicans of acting counter to the needs of their constituents in order to throw money at corporations.
Here are five things to know about the Republican repeal bill.
The health-care law requires insurers to issue policies and set rates without regard to pre-existing health problems.