9 Republicans Vote Against ObamaCare Repeal Measure

It sank with 43-57 vote
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 26, 2017 1:18 AM CDT
Updated Jul 26, 2017 6:46 AM CDT
Senate Rejects ObamaCare Repeal Amendment
Sen. Mike Lee responds to questions about his opposition to the GOP health care bill.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

A broad measure to repeal and replace ObamaCare failed in the Senate as widely expected Tuesday. The measure included the Senate's unpopular "Better Care Reconciliation Act," along with proposals like Sen. Ted Cruz's plan to allow insurers to sell plans that do not meet federal coverage requirements. The measure needed 60 votes to clear a procedural hurdle, but it failed with a 43 to 57 vote that had every Democrat and independent voting against it, along with nine Republicans, the Hill reports. The Republicans voting no included moderate Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, along with conservatives including Sens. Rand Paul and Mike Lee.

There will be more votes this week on repealing ObamaCare, though it's not clear whether anything will pass, including a straight repeal amendment expected Wednesday, Politico reports. The New York Times calls the GOP's failure to get even 50 votes on Tuesday night's measure an "ominous sign" for the party's hopes of passing legislation this week. Sen. John McCain, who returned to the Senate to cast a deciding vote in favor of debating healthcare legislation, voted in favor of the repeal-and-replace amendment, though he criticized the secretive process that created it. "Asking us to swallow our doubts and force it past a unified opposition—I don't think that's going to work in the end, and probably shouldn't," he said. (More ObamaCare stories.)

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