Senate

Senate moves to ObamaCare repeal bill

by Jordain Carney - 12/01/15 7:16 PM ET

The Senate on Tuesday evening formally proceeded to an ObamaCare repeal bill, with lawmakers hoping to wrap up their work by Thursday.

“The Senate is now considering the House-passed Restoring America’s Health Care Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015,” Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said. “We finally have a chance to end ObamaCare’s cycle of broken promises and failures with a simple majority vote. I look forward to completing action on the bill this week.”

{mosads}McConnell moved to take up the legislation by voice vote, before offering a substitute amendment to the House-passed bill to make sure that it complies with the Senate’s budget rules.

Under the budget reconciliation process, the GOP will need only 51 votes to get the ObamaCare repeal package, which is expected to also cut off federal funding for Planned Parenthood, through the Senate.

While moderate Republicans have raised concerns over linking the organization to the larger bill targeting the Affordable Care Act, Senate GOP leadership appeared confident that they will be able to get the support needed to make sure the legislation lands on President Obama’s desk.

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters that the vote “has been a long time in coming, and we’re going to send the president legislation that would repeal this bad law.”

Senate Democrats are planning to offer amendments to the legislation, including a push to remove the provisions defunding Planned Parenthood.

Both Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) declined to detail what other changes they could offer.

McConnell’s move to formally turn the Senate to the repeal legislation kicks off up to 20 hours of debate after lawmakers come back into session on Wednesday morning.

Even if Republicans are able to get the ObamaCare package to the president’s desk, Obama is expected to veto the measure.

Tags Mitch McConnell Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act