Capitol Police arrest 155 people at healthcare demonstrations

Capitol Police on Wednesday arrested approximately 155 people protesting an effort by Senate Republican leaders to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 

Police responded to reports of demonstrations in the Senate office buildings, warning protesters to cease and desist. Those who didn’t, Capitol Police said in a statement, were arrested and charged with “Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding.”

Four protesters were also charged with resisting arrest, according to Capitol Police.

Protesters targeted the offices of GOP senators, as Republican leaders in the chamber push for a vote on a measure that would simply repeal ObamaCare.

That measure is unlikely to pass a vote in the Senate. It is unanimously opposed by Democrats, and some Republicans have voiced deep misgivings about repealing the law without immediately replacing it.

A proposal to repeal and immediately replace the ACA was effectively killed on Monday, after key Republicans announced that they would not support the measure.

That prompted President Trump to call on GOP lawmakers to simply repeal the existing law and pass a replacement plan at some point in the future. 

The Congressional Budget Office released its assessment of the repeal bill on Wednesday, estimating that it would increase the number of uninsured by some 32 million people by 2026.