SENATE GOP TAKES ANOTHER STEP
Pence breaks tie on key procedural vote
WASHINGTON — Republicans narrowly cleared a procedural hurdle to begin debating legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare — a move that required both the ailing U.S. Sen. John McCain to fly back to Washington and Vice President Mike Pence to break a 50-50 tie — but the future of the bill remains in doubt.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and GOP leaders now face the tough task of trying to piece together legislation on the Senate floor that will draw support from enough conservative senators who want to repeal Obamacare taxes and mandate and reverse the law’s Medicaid expansion, and moderates concerned about the effect of Medicaid cuts and a drop in coverage for their constituents.
President Trump celebrated the procedural vote, blasting Democrats.
“I’m very happy to announce that, with zero of the Democrats’ votes, the motion to proceed on health care has just passed,” Trump said at the White House minutes after the vote. He also thanked McCain, who he called a “very brave man.”
Republicans will now engage in a so-called “vote-a-rama,” considering dozens of amendments in hopes of coming to a consensus that will both adhere to limited budget reconciliation rules and draw the needed 50 votes to pass in the deeply divided conference.
That could include a so-called “skinny repeal” that would nix some Obama penalties, the medical-device tax and other provisions while keeping others in place. But it’s unclear if that, or other amendments that would allow cheaper, less comprehensive plans to be sold or give states block grants to implement their own health care reforms, will end up in the final bill.
Republican U.S. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined all 48 Democrats in voting no yesterday.
Though McCain blasted both the policy and the politics of GOP’s health care reform efforts, and vowed not to vote for the GOP version of the bill as is stood, he later voted in favor of the first repeal-and-replace amendment lawmakers considered late last night, which failed to pass. Seven Republicans voted against the measure, which included a proposal by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (RTexas) to allow insurers to offer lower-cost, lower coverage plans.