The Senate passed a budget bill on Thursday that would repeal key provisions of Obamacare and block federal funding from going to Planned Parenthood for one year. The Republican-controlled Senate used special budget procedural rules that allow for passage with a simple majority, and passed the bill along party lines in a 52-47 vote. Senate Democrats have managed to block over 60 previous Republican attempts at repealing Obamacare, according to Reuters.
Because the bill also strips funding from Planned Parenthood, Republican Sens. Mark Kirk of Illinois and Susan Collins of Maine joined 44 Democrats and one independent in voting against the measure. Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is currently challenging Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, was the only senator to miss the vote. He called the proposal a "waste of time" this week.
The measure would repeal the federal government's authority to run health care exchanges and scrap subsidies designed to help people pay for plans bought through those exchanges. It eliminates all penalties for people and companies who do not buy or offer insurance, according to The Hill. It would also halt expansion of Medicaid for the poor, which has already been adopted by more than 30 states.
President Obama will most certainly veto the bill and Democrats likely have the votes to block an override. However, Republicans hailed its passage as a symbolic victory and fulfillment of their promise to hold President Obama accountable for his controversial 2010 health care law by forcing him to veto legislation that has broad public support.
"What we are doing is listening to our constituents, who've told us that they've had one bad experience after another with Obamacare," Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, said according to The Washington Times.
The bill was a stronger version of one originally passed by the House. The amended version will now head back to the House for the changes to be approved before it can be sent to the White House, according to USA Today.
Democrats claim that Obamacare, formally titled the Affordable Care Act, has provided 17.6 million Americans with health care and prevented insurance companies from refusing to insure patients with preexisting conditions. Republicans take issue with the law because it forces people to buy private insurance and fines those who don't. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the law has raised health care costs, hurt the middle class and limited patients' ability to choose their medical provider.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said in an address on Thursday that repealing Obamacare would remain the GOP's top priority even if this year's legislation is killed.
"We think this problem is so urgent that, next year, we are going to unveil a plan to replace every word of Obamacare," Ryan said at the Library of Congress.
