Senate votes to end Obamacare and defund Planned Parenthood

These are big hits for congressional Republicans, who hate President Obama, hate women, hate the poor, and hate the idea of the government doing anything other than shooting guns at black and brown people.

The fact sheet also shows that in 2013 abortions made up 94 percent of Planned Parenthood’s pregnancy services, while prenatal care and adoption referrals accounted for only 5 percent.

Congress will then send the measure, which also strips federal funding for Planned Parenthood, to Obama who will veto it.

Collins, who felt the Republican-backed measure went too far, joined with Kirk and fellow moderate Lisa Murkowski of Alaska on Thursday to sponsor an amendment that would have preserved federal funding for Planned Parenthood organizations. “We’re wasting our time here today”. By repealing numerous, key elements of current law, this legislation would take away critical benefits and health care coverage from hard-working middle-class families. Dianne Feinstein of California that would prevent people on the terror watch list from buying guns, and a third amendment to strengthen mental health and substance abuse treatment all failed.

In a major address Thursday, House Speaker Paul Ryan said axing the health care law would remain the GOP’s top priority, even if this year’s repeal effort is doomed. Obama said at the time that the law has helped tens of millions of Americans and is here to stay. The Senate bill would gut for one year the organization’s federal funding, which supports preventive health-care services, including HIV testing, cancer screenings, and birth control. And it would end taxes the law imposed to cover its costs, including levies on higher-income people, expensive insurance policies, medical devices and indoor tanning salons. Democrat Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota voted against the amendment. Because of that, the Republicans’ recent attempt to yank money from Planned Parenthood – as well as their repeated efforts to repeal Obamacare – is less about actual change and more about furthering their political agenda as 2016 approaches.

The health-care law requires insurers to issue policies and set rates without regard to pre-existing health problems. It zeros out the penalties on individuals who do not buy insurance and employers who do not offer health insurance. That would drive up premiums, prompting healthy policyholders to drop coverage, causing still more rate increases, the government contends. Tonight’s vote was an advertisement for how Republicans intend to harm working people if they take back the White House.

Three Republicans besides Toomey voted for the expanded background check legislation.

Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Dawn Laguens said the Senate had given the group’s millions of clients “the cold shoulder of indifference”. Susan Collins (R-Maine). “By twinning it with a defunding of Planned Parenthood, you divide the caucus and muddy the message in my view”.