In early GOP win on health care repeal, Congress OKs budget
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., accompanied by, from left, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, listen to a question during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington.
WASHINGTON >> Ascendant Republicans drove a budget through Congress today that gives them an early but critical victory in their crusade to scrap President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.
The vote trains the spotlight on whether they and Donald Trump can deliver on repeated pledges to not just erase that statute but replace it.
Demonstrating the GOP’s willingness to plunge into a defining but risky battle, the House used a near party-line 227-198 roll call to approve a budget that prevents Senate Democrats from derailing a future bill, thus far unwritten, annulling and reshaping Obama’s landmark 2010 law. The budget, which won Senate approval early Thursday, does not need the president’s signature.
“The ‘Unaffordable’ Care Act will soon be history!” Trump tweeted in a dig at the statute’s name, the Affordable Care Act. Trump takes the presidential oath next Friday.
But the real work looms in coming months as the new administration and congressional Republicans write binding legislation to erase much of the health care law and replace it with a GOP version. Republicans still have internal divisions over what that would look like, though past GOP proposals have cut much of the existing law’s federal spending and eased coverage requirements while relying more on tax benefits and letting states make decisions.
Today’s final vote was preceded by debate that saw hyperbole on both sides and underscored how the two parties have alternate-universe views of Obama’s overhaul. Democrats praised it for extending coverage to tens of millions of Americans, helping families afford policies and seniors buy prescriptions, while Republicans focused on the rising premiums and deductibles and limited access to doctors and insurers that have plagued many.
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House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said the health care law was “so arrogant and so contrary to our founding principles” and had not delivered on Obama’s promises to lower costs and provide more choice.
“We have to step in before things get worse. This is nothing short of a rescue mission,” Ryan said.
“Our experimentation in Soviet-style central planning of our health care system has been an abject failure,” said freshman Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Ryan was peddling “mythology” and said the GOP was moving toward making things worse for health care consumers.
“They want to cut benefits and run. They want to cut access and run,” she said of Republicans.
“This is a sad day in the history of this country as Republicans begin the process of destroying health care in America,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who said the GOP has no replacement in hand.
“All you have is smoke and mirrors, and the American people are getting ready to get screwed,” he said.
Approval of the budget means Senate Democrats won’t be allowed to filibuster the future repeal-and-replace bill — a pivotal advantage for Republicans. They control the Senate 52-48, but it takes 60 votes to end filibusters, which are endless procedural delays that can scuttle legislation.
Congressional Republicans have made annulling Obama’s law and replacing it a top goal for the past seven years. GOP rifts and an Obama veto prevented them from achieving anything other than holding scores of votes that served as political messaging.
Trump also made targeting Obama’s statute a primary target during his campaign. At his news conference Wednesday, Trump — who’s supplied few details of what he wants — said his emerging plan will be “far less expensive and far better” than the statute.
Despite their conceptual unity, plenty of Republicans have shown skittishness in recent days about the political repercussions of charging into a battle that, with Trump in the White House, puts enacting new laws within reach.
Many congressional Republicans expressed opposition to leaders’ initial emphasis on first passing a repeal bill and then focusing on a replacement — a process that could produce a gap of months or longer. Trump has also pushed Congress to act fast.
Twenty million Americans are covered by Obama’s expansion of Medicaid or by policies sold on exchanges, and millions of others have benefited from the coverage requirements It has imposed on insurers. Many Republicans have insisted on learning how their party will re-craft the nation’s $3 trillion-a-year health care system before voting to void existing programs.
There are internal GOP chasms over Republican leaders’ plans to use their bill to halt federal payments to Planned Parenthood and pare Medicaid coverage. There are also disagreements over how to pay for the GOP replacement, with many Republicans leery of Ryan’s proposal to tax part of the value of some health insurance provided by employers.
Even with their disputes, the GOP’s rallying behind their budget spotlighted the political imperative facing Republicans to deliver on a battle cry that has sustained them for years.
Moving ahead on the budget was “a bottom-line, party survival vote,” said Thomas P. Miller, a health care authority at the conservative American Enterprise Institute.
35 responses to “In early GOP win on health care repeal, Congress OKs budget”
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KKKlastri
What now laulau!!?? You said that OBAMACARE IS O’s SIGNATURE Legacy!!??
KaPoot..right in your face!
Nothing you predicted..from “Hands Up” officer Darren Wilson’s exoneration will be overturned to BREXIT (Stock Mkt will CRASH) to Crooked hiLIARy will WIN in a LANDSLIDE ever came true….you’re like the #FAKE news…all hot air..no substance!
btw..how was your VICTORY PARTY on Nov 8th?
January 20th..don’t forget set up your VCR for #MAGA
LMAO
Klastri is probably busy mixing Clinton’s famous “right to die” Kool-Aid recipe.
Klastri, if you’re reading this, here are some common ingredients in the “Clinton Family Secret Meth Kool-Aid Assisted Suicide” recipe…
*Acetone.
*Anhydrous ammonia.
*Battery acid (sulfuric acid)
*Brake cleaner (toluene)
*Cold tablets containing pseudoephedrine.
*Drain cleaner (sodium hydroxide)
*Freon.
*Iodine crystals.
*20lb tank of propane
*1 packet of sugar-free Obama-Barry Kool-aid
Be careful this recipe is so potent your house might blow up when you cook it!
My comment is awaiting moderation.
KA BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Keonigohan – You don’t seem to think it’s weird and bizarre that you constantly think about me and write about me. Every single day. Do you let members of your family (assuming you have one) know that you think and write about me so often? My wife is pretty convinced that something is seriously wrong with you.
It’s creepy and weird. Very creepy and very weird.
The fact that you have a personality disorder isn’t a surprise, assuming what you write.
Having said that, you are a sociopath (again … not a shock) if you think it’s a good idea that the health insurance of 30 million people will be taken away with nothing to replace it. Enjoy celebrating the fact that people will be forced into bankruptcy and away from the care they need. That’s a great thing for a mentally ill person to be happy about. Enjoy marinating in your loathsome, miserable life.
My wife and I agree that you have multiple personality defects.
And yes … eat crow and MAGA … I already got that from the 500 other posts you made today. Very original and fresh!
My coment is awaiting moderation.
@ KKKlastri
You have a “wife”? WOW!
There’s someone who can stand you? WOW!
I laugh at you when I see you trying so hard to “Defending the Indefensible”.
You berate anyone who disagrees with you…I feel for your “wife”.
You claim you were appointed a Fed Judgeship by none other..GWB? REALLY!
You could never hide your kind of ideology of disdain unless you’re afflicted with multiple personality disorder, even then proper vetting would reveal your health records which would disqualify you. But WAIT..you said that never happened…is that your MP disorder in play? HMMM
Obviously your childhood carried over as your words speaks volumes. You bloviate like a bully, but you can do that here under protection of the internet. I cannot imagine how you’d be on the outside world with real people.
I’m just happy the shoe is on the other foot. WeThePeople WON.
You LOST in such a LANDSLIDE SHOCKING way and can see you’re struggling to come to grips with the reality of that.
But what I find really strange is that your demeanor & vile hasn’t changed one bit!
You are a troubled and unhappy individual..so much h@te in you.
Hopefully you can come to grips with reality one day. Wish you all the best…really. And if you do get help and come to a point where you are able to carry on a civil conversation I’ll quit serving you CROW.
Set up your VCR…7 more days til #MAGA
klastri, you have a wife now? What you do stuff her into the freezer after dismembering her the minute she found out you’re a shill? LOL
And to think all these months I’ve been referring to you as a female in my comments and never once did you correct me to refer to you as a female. lol Maybe you are a female married to a female?
The victory party under the airport viaduct was a disaster. It was more like a funeral. They ran out of Vienna sausages. You can only cut them up so small. They could have used the eggs they threw at my Trump Pence banners. They were chasing the mynah birds thinking they were crows.
klastri claims he’s wealthy. Maybe long on money but short on brains. allie made a pot of crow stew that tasted absolutely horrible. Somebody needs to tell her to take the feathers out.
My comment is awaiting moderation.
@ lespark
lol ^5
IRT KeoniGohan, fully agree with your post. Obamacare legacy taken down one piece at a time. It’s happening.
If this goes through it will wind up costing the lower and middle classes more money because the lower taxes that the upper class will pay will be made up by the higher costs that businesses will pay–who will pass it down to their workers. How is this good?! Just another example of the GOP helping the rich.
OK, we all knew this was going to happen, so no surprise. But, what have the Republicans done in the last six years since ACA was approved? Have they thought of a BETTER plan in all that time? If so, then let’s see it! As soon as ACA is dissolved, let’s see a MUCH better plan take over immediately so millions of people will not be without health care for even a day. I’m sure they have one in their back pocket already, right?
Like Obama said, if Trump comes up with a better plan then great, he can even call it Trumpcare and Obama would support it…Obama has supported this movement, now the rest of the Liberals can follow his lead…#MAGA
“if Trump comes up with a better plan” being the operative phrase here. You actually think that is possible, or maybe probable?
Possible, yes. Probable, no. Because he doesn’t give a rip about anyone’s health but his own, his and the others who populate his swamp.
You mean like how the Washington Elites were NOT covered by Odummycare, but everyone else was. And if ANYONE didn’t have health care would have to pay a fine. So, who didn’t “give a rip” then kennie. The Democraps, thats who.
meat – Another Big Lie. You cannot be truthful.
You just repeated the myth that congress is exempt from buying their health insurance through the health insurance marketplace. Members of congress and their staff must purchase their coverage through the small businesses part of the health insurance marketplace.
Although Congress will have to purchase their insurance through ObamaCare’s health insurance exchange like millions of other Americans they can choose any plan they wish. So while a typical American may only be able to afford a basic plan members of Congress will be able to choose the most expensive plans and pay the 40% excise tax that comes on the backs of these plans.
The federal government pays about 72% of the cost of the various health plans available to federal employees or 75% of the cost of the chosen plan, whichever is less. Private employers on average pay more than 80% of the cost of health benefits.
It might help if you would stop lying.
Really asstri, members of Congress were NOT covered by Odummycare, and for you to NOT know that only shows your ignorance or st-pidity, You CLAIM to have been an attorney, in your dreams. It might help if you get a brain.
meat – The problem is that I’m correct and you’re not. The law is a public document. Read it yourself.
You never have the facts. Never. You just repeat nonsense you hear or just make up things out of thin air. Like this.
Eh kennie, maybe you should ask Odummy and Harry Reid. Republicans submitted 4 Health plans to the Democrat led Congress, and Reid shelved them all. Didn’t even put it up for discussion on the floor. Then the Democraps went and passed this scam behind closed doors. If you didn’t know this then, you’re either 12 years old now, so you were 4 then, or you fed at the slop trough called the MSM too long.
OK, so if they do have a plan, why are they not rolling it out now? Explain that. It would seem to me that if they truly had a REAL plan to offer, they would be voting on it. Try to understand what is written before you spurt out garbage.
For those of you who support Barry’s disaster please read this article: http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/13/health/obamacare-doctors-opinions-aca/index.html
This is why I lost my doctor of many years. Hawaii had a good system until the feds stepped in.
The budget that Republicans just voted for approves up to $9 trillion in new debt over 10 years as an acceptable cost for taking health coverage away from 20 million Americans.
AND taking health coverage away from 40+ million illegals. It’s no wonder they’re going to be protesting in sanctuary cities like Los Angeles! LOL
The Affordable Care Act contains an individual mandate that requires individuals to purchase health insurance. It allows U.S. citizens and legal residents to purchase insurance on health insurance exchanges, often receiving tax credits.
But none of it applies to people who are here illegally. They don’t have to follow the mandate because they shouldn’t be here. They remain ineligible for regular Medicaid coverage, just as they are ineligible for food stamps. They cannot obtain coverage through state-based health insurance exchanges (thus, they are also ineligible for tax credits to offset the cost of getting that coverage).
Yeah, good luck getting the dragon to listen.
Illegal immigrants in California get MedCal for free and is paid for by you and me.
copperwire9, I post facts. Unless you have anything of value or interest to add you’re just an old crow with nothing better to comment. I post things that will upset some and I don’t care, feel free to have a good rebuttal with me otherwise shut up already. Secondly, feel free to Google anything I post you lazy bum. My last reply to bsdetection is awaiting moderation as the SA loves to review any links accompanying the post so you’ll see yourself that my post was 100% factual when it finally clears the SA B.S. detection system..
bsdetection, while that mandate is written it isn’t enforced. SA is moderating my comment so it should clear later since I posted referenced links to the Wall Street Journal proving that illegals do in fact get free health-care, and WE ARE the ones paying for it. In the meantime feel free to Google “Illegal Immigrants Get Public Health Care, Despite Federal Policy” and you’ll find the WSJ article I referenced and countless others.
Pauoa_Valley, thank you! 100% correct as well!
bsdetection,
Sources with links:
Just 2 sources for you. Care to share with us how is it that illegals get FREE government assistance despite the fake news you posted? LOL
1. WSJ: Illegal Immigrants Get Public Health Care, Despite Federal Policy
2. Cashing in: Illegal immigrants get $1,261 more welfare than American families, $5,692 vs. $4,431
“Early GOP win…”
Hardly. This is to the detriment of us all.
And particularly hospitals. Hospital association are already predicting shutdowns – particularly of rural hospitals – when the ACA is repealed.
Coincidentally, in areas that voted for Trump.
The Republicans are going to own every bit of this hot mess.
Riiiight asstri, riiiight.
Klastri, you poor old senile fart. ERs are being shutdown do to illegals getting free medical care and never paying a dime of the copays or deductibles. Nice try trying to fool us, you illegal immigrant!
You are remarkably obsessed with the undocumented. Is that what you attribute your failure to?
THE BIG LIE: Paul Ryan claims that the Medicaid didn’t reach its coverage goals under the Affordable Care Act, ignoring that the reason for this is that some Republicans Governors, at enormous cost to their states, chose to reject theMedicaid expansion and deny health coverage to hundreds of thousands of their neediest constituents.