McCain Aids in Blocking Obamacare 'Skinny' Repeal

Nick Kangadis | July 28, 2017
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In another instance of Congress not accomplishing anything, three GOP senators voted "no" to a bill that would have repealed some parts of Obamacare during a midnight Senate session Thursday.

The three Republicans who joined Democrats in blocking the “skinny repeal” were Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). The final vote ended up with 49 "yes" votes and 51 "no" votes.

If only one of those GOP "no" votes went the other way, Vice President Mike Pence could have helped the repeal pass with his tie-breaking vote.

McCain released this statement concerning his decision to vote against the repeal:

From the beginning, I have believed that Obamacare should be repealed and replaced with a solution that increases competition, lowers costs, and improves care for the American people. The so-called ‘skinny repeal’ amendment the Senate voted on today would not accomplish those goals. While the amendment would have repealed some of Obamacare’s most burdensome regulations, it offered no replacement to actually reform our health care system and deliver affordable, quality health care to our citizens. The Speaker's statement that the House would be ‘willing’ to go to conference does not ease my concern that this shell of a bill could be taken up and passed at any time.

“I’ve stated time and time again that one of the major failures of Obamacare was that it was rammed through Congress by Democrats on a strict-party line basis without a single Republican vote. We should not make the mistakes of the past that has led to Obamacare’s collapse, including in my home state of Arizona where premiums are skyrocketing and health care providers are fleeing the marketplace. We must now return to the correct way of legislating and send the bill back to committee, hold hearings, receive input from both sides of aisle, heed the recommendations of nation’s governors, and produce a bill that finally delivers affordable health care for the American people. We must do the hard work our citizens expect of us and deserve.

The bill, titled the Health Care Freedom Act, had these provisions included in it:

    •    It would repeal the individual mandate, which is the requirement that most Americans buy insurance or pay a penalty. The provision was intended to help control costs by encouraging younger, healthier people to enter the market. Republicans have said it forced people to buy plans they did not want.

    •    The bill would roll back the employer mandate, a similar provision that says large employers have to provide insurance for their workers.

    •    The plan would expand a program that allows states to waive certain provisions under Obamacare.

    •    It would suspend the medical device tax.

    •    The proposal would increase contribution limits for tax-free health savings accounts.

    •    It would defund women's health provider Planned Parenthood for one year.

Who knows where we go from here, but for now, Obamacare is going nowhere.

H/T: Gateway Pundit

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