Republicans spent weeks hammering out the strategy targeting Planned Parenthood and the Affordable Care Act.
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It is little more than a symbolic move, since President Obama will veto the bill without hesitation and Republicans have nowhere near the majorities necessary to override his veto. The votes are in, 52-47, the Senate voted to repeal President Barack Obama’s health care law.
Republicans blame the Affordable Care Act for surging health care costs and insurers abandoning some markets.
Democrats argued that thanks to the law, millions of US citizens had health coverage.
“This will undo the progress we have made”, said Sen. Patty Murray of Washington ahead of the vote.
Under reconciliation, a bill requires only 51 votes for passage and it can not be filibustered. Planned Parenthood would also lose its funding for one year.
The major victory for Republicans comes in the “yea” votes from Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Utah Sen. Sanders, an Independent senator, is running as a Democratic presidential candidate in the 2016 election.
The bill passed by the Senate would end financial penalties for individuals and companies that don’t follow the law’s requirement that they buy insurance for themselves and their workers. A different amendment to restore funding to Planned Parenthood and enhance clinic safety offered by pro-choice champions Senators Murray (D-WA) and Wyden (D-OR) also failed to pass. Republicans’ passions to cutoff taxpayer dollars to the organization increased in recent months when videos were released that purported to show Planned Parenthood executives selling the tissue of aborted fetuses to researchers. The group says the videos were deceptively doctored and say it’s done nothing illegal. Republicans, who have majority control of the House, as well as the Senate, aim to have the bill on the House floor next week. The one Senator to overlook the vote? Preventive care is free and children can stay on their parents’ plans through age 26.
Earlier this week, a gunman entered Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs in a five-hour siege that left three people dead, including a police officer.
“Rather than refighting old political battles by once again voting to repeal basic protections that provide security for the middle class, members of Congress should be working together to grow the economy, strengthen middle-class families, create new jobs”, the Office of Management and Budget said in a statement.
GOP lawmakers said the bill could serve as a bridge to a future Republican health care law.
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“They’ve never been in a position where they want to change it and fix the law, it’s either repeal or nothing”, Sen.
