On July 17, the US Senate voted to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) with the GOP’s. The Bill didn’t get the 50 votes to pass after two Republican senators Mike Lee (Utah) and Jerry Moran (Kansas) announced on Monday night that they will vote “no,” just like senators Rand Paul (Kentucky) and Susan Collins (Maine).
Senator Moran said the GOP’s healthcare bill fails to repeal Obamacare and senator Lee says “it doesn’t go far enough in lowering premiums for middle class families.”
Senator Rand Paul argued that he could not support the senate health bill because it doesn’t look like a “repeal” and that it is keeping most of Obamacare’s points. He also said that the four republican senators that voted “no” are not trying to take down the current bill, but that they are trying to make it better for the American people.
Reactions to The No Votes
When a reporter asked president Trump if he was angry at the Republicans who came out against his healthcare bill, he replied that he was “disappointed.”
President Trump tweeted, “We were let down by the Democrats and a few Republicans.” He then tweeted “Let Obamacare fail and then come together and do a great healthcare plan.”
Mr. Trump also said in a press conference, “In 2018, we’re going to have to get some more people elected… that are Republican.”
To Repeal and replace Obamacare was one of the biggest campaign promises made by Donald Trump.
What’s Next For Obamacare?
What is next? Are Republicans going to work again on crafting a better Healthcare bill by themselves and get the 50 Republican votes needed to pass the bill? Or will they try to make a bipartisan bill to get some Democrats’ votes?
Senator McConnell said the GOP will talk to Democrats about small fixes to the bill, and some moderates said that they would be open to a bipartisan bill that repeals Obamacare. The future of American healthcare, then, still hangs in the balance.
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