The GOP’s 7-year promise to “repeal and replace Obamacare” ends in a flaming pile of fail.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer (NY) tonight urged Republican colleagues to start over with a bipartisan effort.
“This second failure of Trumpcare is proof positive that the core of this bill is unworkable,” said Schumer. “Rather than repeating the same failed, partisan process yet again, Republicans should start from scratch and work with Democrats on a bill that lowers premiums, provides long term stability to the markets and improves our health care system.”
Here is my statement explaining why I will vote no on the BCRA motion to proceed: https://t.co/lDpIGDS456
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) July 18, 2017
My colleague @SenMikeLee and I will not support the MTP to this version of BCRA. #HealthcareBill
— Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) July 18, 2017
My colleague @JerryMoran and I will not support the MTP to this version of BCRA #HealthcareBill
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) July 18, 2017
Here is my statement explaining why I will vote no on the BCRA motion to proceed: https://t.co/lDpIGDS456
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) July 18, 2017
Senators Mike Lee of Utah and Jerry Moran of Kansas declared Monday night they would oppose the Senate Republican bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, for now killing a seven-year-old promise to overturn President Barack Obama’s signature domestic achievement.
The announcement by the senators, both Republicans, leaves their leaders two votes short of the necessary tally to begin debate on their bill to dismantle the health law. Two other Republican senators, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Maine, had already said they would not support a procedural step to begin debate.
“There are serious problems with Obamacare, and my goal remains what it has been for a long time: to repeal and replace it,” Mr. Moran said in a statement. “This closed-door process unfortunately has yielded the” Senate repeal bill, which he asserted, “failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act or address health care’s rising costs.”
In his own statement, Mr. Lee said of the bill, “In addition to not repealing all of the Obamacare taxes, it doesn’t go far enough in lowering premiums for middle class families; nor does it create enough free space from the most costly Obamacare regulations.”
By jumping together, Mr. Moran and Mr. Lee ensured no one would be the definitive “no” vote.
PHOTO: U.S. Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, departs after a Senate Republican caucus meeting about an expected unveiling of Senate Republicans’ revamped proposal to replace Obamacare health care legislation on July 13, 2017. Photo by REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst