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| Obama Fights for Health Law as Republicans Stand Firm on Vow to Repeal | Obama Fights for Health Law as Republicans Stand Firm on Vow to Repeal |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| WASHINGTON — The bitter divide over the fate of the Affordable Care Act played out at the highest levels on Wednesday as President Obama urged Democrats on Capitol Hill to fight to maintain his signature domestic achievement while President-elect Donald J. Trump warned Republicans to let Mr. Obama’s imperiled program “fall of its own weight.” | WASHINGTON — The bitter divide over the fate of the Affordable Care Act played out at the highest levels on Wednesday as President Obama urged Democrats on Capitol Hill to fight to maintain his signature domestic achievement while President-elect Donald J. Trump warned Republicans to let Mr. Obama’s imperiled program “fall of its own weight.” |
| As the Senate began debate over the fate of the law, Republicans made clear, more powerfully and explicitly than before, their intention to repeal it. Vice President-elect Mike Pence, standing with Speaker Paul D. Ryan in the Capitol, said the repeal would be “the first order of business” for the new administration. | As the Senate began debate over the fate of the law, Republicans made clear, more powerfully and explicitly than before, their intention to repeal it. Vice President-elect Mike Pence, standing with Speaker Paul D. Ryan in the Capitol, said the repeal would be “the first order of business” for the new administration. |
| By a vote of 51 to 48, the Senate decided on Wednesday to take a first step toward repealing the Affordable Care Act. Senators agreed to take up a budget resolution, or blueprint, that would clear the way for legislation repealing major provisions of the health care law. Senate debate on the budget measure is expected to continue for several days. | By a vote of 51 to 48, the Senate decided on Wednesday to take a first step toward repealing the Affordable Care Act. Senators agreed to take up a budget resolution, or blueprint, that would clear the way for legislation repealing major provisions of the health care law. Senate debate on the budget measure is expected to continue for several days. |
| The House is expected to take up a similar budget resolution next week. | The House is expected to take up a similar budget resolution next week. |
| Mr. Pence said Mr. Trump’s transition team was working on a “series of executive orders that will enable that orderly transition to take place.” | Mr. Pence said Mr. Trump’s transition team was working on a “series of executive orders that will enable that orderly transition to take place.” |
| But Democrats vowed to strongly resist the repeal efforts, which Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, said could be reduced to the slogan “make America sick again.” | But Democrats vowed to strongly resist the repeal efforts, which Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, said could be reduced to the slogan “make America sick again.” |
| Mr. Schumer said Republicans would have to own the health care system. He said Democrats would consider working with Republicans on a replacement only after they presented their own plan. | Mr. Schumer said Republicans would have to own the health care system. He said Democrats would consider working with Republicans on a replacement only after they presented their own plan. |
| “If you are repealing, show us what you’ll replace it with, then we’ll look at what you have and see what you can do,” Mr. Schumer said. | “If you are repealing, show us what you’ll replace it with, then we’ll look at what you have and see what you can do,” Mr. Schumer said. |
| Later, Mr. Schumer said of Mr. Trump, “It’s his and their responsibility, plain and simple — name calling isn’t going to get anything done.” He added, “They really need to calm things down a little.” | |
| Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, said Democrats assured Mr. Obama that they would not back down. Of the Republicans, she said, “to repeal without replacing it is just an act of cowardice.” | Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, said Democrats assured Mr. Obama that they would not back down. Of the Republicans, she said, “to repeal without replacing it is just an act of cowardice.” |
| Mr. Ryan tried to offer assurance that no change in coverage would be abrupt. “We’ve been saying all along we don’t want to pull the rug out from people while we’re replacing this law,” he said. “The point is, in 2017, we don’t want people to be caught with nothing. We want to make sure that there’s an orderly transition so that the rug is not pulled out from under the families who are currently struggling under Obamacare while we bring relief.” | Mr. Ryan tried to offer assurance that no change in coverage would be abrupt. “We’ve been saying all along we don’t want to pull the rug out from people while we’re replacing this law,” he said. “The point is, in 2017, we don’t want people to be caught with nothing. We want to make sure that there’s an orderly transition so that the rug is not pulled out from under the families who are currently struggling under Obamacare while we bring relief.” |
| On Tuesday, Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the Senate majority leader, took the first legislative steps that could accomplish his party’s goal of repealing and replacing the measure, which has added 20 million poor and working-class Americans to the health insurance rolls. | |
| Even as Republicans prepared to seize power, Mr. Trump and his staff sent mixed signals about their strategy and the pace of the possible rollback. In a series of enigmatic morning Twitter messages, Mr. Trump disparaged Wednesday’s Democratic conclave as “Schumer clowns.” | Even as Republicans prepared to seize power, Mr. Trump and his staff sent mixed signals about their strategy and the pace of the possible rollback. In a series of enigmatic morning Twitter messages, Mr. Trump disparaged Wednesday’s Democratic conclave as “Schumer clowns.” |
| As the debate raged, Mr. Obama told Democrats that he accepted some responsibility for not being a better salesman for the law. “He acknowledged the failures in selling the law in its entirety to the American people,” said Senator Jeff Merkley, Democrat of Oregon. | As the debate raged, Mr. Obama told Democrats that he accepted some responsibility for not being a better salesman for the law. “He acknowledged the failures in selling the law in its entirety to the American people,” said Senator Jeff Merkley, Democrat of Oregon. |