Eight House Republicans on Wednesday joined Democrats to vote in favor of a resolution decrying the Trump administration’s push to have the courts invalidate ObamaCare.
The measure passed in a 240-186 vote.
{mosads}The group of eight GOP lawmakers, largely made up of centrist Republicans, opted to support the nonbinding measure led by freshman Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas) rebuking the Department of Justice’s recent announcement that it backs a district court’s ruling deeming the Affordable Care Act (ACA) unconstitutional.
Here are the Republicans who crossed the aisle to vote against Trump.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.)
Rep. John Katko (N.Y.)
Rep. Tom Reed (N.Y.)
Rep. Denver Riggleman (Va.)
Rep. Chris Smith (N.J.)
Rep. Pete Stauber (Minn.)
Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.)
Rep. Fred Upton (Mich.)
Upton, who previously served as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, explained his vote by citing the lack of an alternative to former President Obama’s landmark health care legislation.
“Pulling the safety net out from under our fellow Americans by repealing Obamacare without a replacement plan ready to go on day one would be cruel and irresponsible,” he said in a statement to The Hill.
“There are a lot of problems with Obamacare, for sure,” he added. “That is why I have voted for responsible plans to repeal and replace it — but always with replacement plans that protect those with pre-existing conditions, kids in school, and Medicaid-expansion state recipients.”
Reed, a co-chairman of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, said he would like to see the administration put forward a replacement plan before the ACA is repealed.
“We must have a plan to reduce costs, ensure access and protect people with pre-existing conditions prior to taking a position on the Constitutionality of the ACA and potentially blowing up our healthcare system,” he told The Hill in a statement. “This is only fair for the people we all care about and represent.”
Fitzpatrick said there should be no debate over issues like pre-existing conditions and essential health benefits.
“These are things that everybody needs,” he said.”The ACA is the law of the land, we ought to improve it where we can.”
Other GOP lawmakers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Updated at 7:09 p.m.