Democrats on Thursday applauded President Obama’s announcement about keeping canceled insurance plans while Republicans assailed him for going around Congress.
Ohio Democrat Marcia Fudge approved of the president’s decision.
On Thursday afternoon, Obama said the move could prevent existing insurance plans from being canceled by ObamaCare until after the midterm elections next year.
Maryland Republican Rep. Andy Harris said Obama’s statement wasn’t good enough.
An estimated 5 million people have received cancellation notices since the marketplace was implemented in October.
Obama said he plans to tweak the law’s regulations after lawmakers and former President Clinton pressured him to honor a promise he had made repeatedly during the debate over the law.
Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) tweeted that the public deserves better.
His colleague, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), however, said Obama is doing the right thing.
Republican Rep. Steve Stockman (Texas) has been tweeting nonstop since the administration released low enrollment numbers for ObamaCare on Wednesday. Stockman piled on as the president spoke Thursday.
Randy Weber, another Texas Republican criticized Obama for not allowing Congress to intervene.
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) said in a tweet he appreciated Obama’s “forthrightness.”
Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) tweeted a map by the Republican Policy Committee showing a significant number of people have had their insurance canceled.
The Republican team on the Senate Budget Committee used the occasion to take a stab at government insurance in general.