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| Healthcare 'vote-a-rama': Senate to decide on dozens of proposals – live | Healthcare 'vote-a-rama': Senate to decide on dozens of proposals – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 7.14pm BST | |
| 19:14 | |
| Steve Daines is now on the floor offering his single payer amendment while bashing the concept of Medicare for all. The Montana senator says “Last November, the American people voted to ‘Make America Great Again’, not to Make America Like England Again.’” | |
| 7.07pm BST | 7.07pm BST |
| 19:07 | 19:07 |
| One of the first votes today is scheduled to be on an amendment to implement a single payer healthcare system in the United States. However, it has one ardent opponent: Bernie Sanders. | One of the first votes today is scheduled to be on an amendment to implement a single payer healthcare system in the United States. However, it has one ardent opponent: Bernie Sanders. |
| Although Sanders has long been a vocal advocate for single-payer health care, he’s opposing this amendment because it’s actually just a troll. | Although Sanders has long been a vocal advocate for single-payer health care, he’s opposing this amendment because it’s actually just a troll. |
| Republican Steve Daines of Montana is offering the proposal in an attempt to force Democrats to take a divisive vote and make vulnerable incumbents choose between the party’s liberal base and a position that potentially could be problematic with moderate swing voters. | Republican Steve Daines of Montana is offering the proposal in an attempt to force Democrats to take a divisive vote and make vulnerable incumbents choose between the party’s liberal base and a position that potentially could be problematic with moderate swing voters. |
| Sanders though has slammed the proposal as part of a “sham process” and will refuse to vote for it. As a result, it’s likely that no other Democrats will support it as well. | Sanders though has slammed the proposal as part of a “sham process” and will refuse to vote for it. As a result, it’s likely that no other Democrats will support it as well. |
| 6.49pm BST | 6.49pm BST |
| 18:49 | 18:49 |
| Hello and welcome | |
| Good afternoon from Washington, where the latest Republican attempt to overhaul Barack Obama’s signature healthcare reforms is due to come to a head. | Good afternoon from Washington, where the latest Republican attempt to overhaul Barack Obama’s signature healthcare reforms is due to come to a head. |
| This afternoon the Senate is expected to begin a so-called “vote-a-rama” – a long series of votes on dozens of different proposals – as Republicans desperately try to cobble together a compromise plan to repeal and/or replace the Affordable Care Act. | This afternoon the Senate is expected to begin a so-called “vote-a-rama” – a long series of votes on dozens of different proposals – as Republicans desperately try to cobble together a compromise plan to repeal and/or replace the Affordable Care Act. |
| Senators will vote on amendment after amendment after amendment as they prepare for a late night session. | Senators will vote on amendment after amendment after amendment as they prepare for a late night session. |
| Earlier today it seemed the most likely option to pass was the so-called “skinny repeal”, which would remove Obamacare’s unpopular individual mandate, which requires all Americans to have health insurance or face a penalty, and perhaps the employer mandate as well, which means companies with 50 or more full-time employees must provide health insurance or pay a fine, but would leave in place its expansion of Medicaid, the government health program for low-income Americans. | |
| Doctors, medical organizations and insurer groups have warned that the “skinny repeal” would discourage healthy people from staying in the health insurance markets and could drive up costs, and could therefore lead to the eventual collapse of the Obamacare system. | Doctors, medical organizations and insurer groups have warned that the “skinny repeal” would discourage healthy people from staying in the health insurance markets and could drive up costs, and could therefore lead to the eventual collapse of the Obamacare system. |
| However, the Republican proposals are changing rapidly and the precise provisions of their final plan are still unclear. No actual legislation has yet been published by the GOP, and the bill remains a moving target, depending on the fate of individual amendments to the underlying legislation. | However, the Republican proposals are changing rapidly and the precise provisions of their final plan are still unclear. No actual legislation has yet been published by the GOP, and the bill remains a moving target, depending on the fate of individual amendments to the underlying legislation. |
| Read more on the skinny repeal here: | Read more on the skinny repeal here: |
| Republicans have been promising - or threatening - for seven years to undo Obama’s legislation, which saw nearly 20 million people gain healthcare. They view it as unwarranted government intrusion into the free market. The 2010 law required all Americans to have insurance or face a penalty, and offered states funding incentives to expand Medicaid coverage. | Republicans have been promising - or threatening - for seven years to undo Obama’s legislation, which saw nearly 20 million people gain healthcare. They view it as unwarranted government intrusion into the free market. The 2010 law required all Americans to have insurance or face a penalty, and offered states funding incentives to expand Medicaid coverage. |
| But despite the fact that since January Republicans have controlled the White House as well as both chambers of Congress, progress towards their goal has been painfully slow. A House bill that would dismantle much of the Affordable Care Act was passed to great fanfare in May, but since then the Senate has failed to agree on a version of its own, which has infuriated Donald Trump. | But despite the fact that since January Republicans have controlled the White House as well as both chambers of Congress, progress towards their goal has been painfully slow. A House bill that would dismantle much of the Affordable Care Act was passed to great fanfare in May, but since then the Senate has failed to agree on a version of its own, which has infuriated Donald Trump. |
| “Come on Republican Senators, you can do it on Healthcare,” the president tweeted on Thursday morning. “After 7 years, this is your chance to shine! Don’t let the American people down!” | “Come on Republican Senators, you can do it on Healthcare,” the president tweeted on Thursday morning. “After 7 years, this is your chance to shine! Don’t let the American people down!” |
| The GOP has not been helped by a series of estimates by the Congressional Budget Office, which has estimated 23 million people would lose health insurance over the next 10 years under the House bill, and 22 million for a now-failed Senate plan. The “skinny repeal” is thought to bring that figure down to “only” 16 million. | The GOP has not been helped by a series of estimates by the Congressional Budget Office, which has estimated 23 million people would lose health insurance over the next 10 years under the House bill, and 22 million for a now-failed Senate plan. The “skinny repeal” is thought to bring that figure down to “only” 16 million. |
| If the Senate does pass some form of skinny repeal at some point tonight, that is not the end of the story. It would either have to be reconciled in some way with the House bill via conference committee before it reaches Trump’s desk or the House would have to pass the Senate bill. | If the Senate does pass some form of skinny repeal at some point tonight, that is not the end of the story. It would either have to be reconciled in some way with the House bill via conference committee before it reaches Trump’s desk or the House would have to pass the Senate bill. |
| But if it fails to pass anything, it could be a fatal blow for Republican attempts to undo Obamacare. | But if it fails to pass anything, it could be a fatal blow for Republican attempts to undo Obamacare. |
| We’ll be following all the action on the Senate floor and around Capitol Hill right here. | We’ll be following all the action on the Senate floor and around Capitol Hill right here. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.28pm BST |