Why is it crucial that Republicans use a reconciliation bill instead of going through the typical repeal process to get rid of Obamacare? It comes down to a numbers game: Normally, the Senate requires a supermajority of at least 60 votes to pass a repeal. In the case of a reconciliation bill, that number is a simple majority, which would be only 51 votes.
The move also came during a marathon session of Congress called a “vote-a-rama,” where Senators voted on over 160 amendments to the budget resolution over the course of seven hours, ending at 1:30 a.m. During the vote that added an Obamacare repeal to the budget resolution, Democrats broke Senate protocol to orally voice their concerns of repealing the legislation when they were voting before being reprimanded by their Republican counterparts.
There are still grave concerns from both Democrats and Republicans about what would happen if Obamacare were repealed without a specific and actionable replacement plan in place. The Republicans have been calling it a “repeal and delay” tactic in that they would repeal Obamacare now but allow it to continue for an unspecified amount of time until new legislation could be introduced and voted on.
While several Republicans have said they’re working on such a plan, no such legislation has been put forth publicly yet, according to CNBC. President-elect Donald Trump said during his press conference this past Wednesday that he would be announcing a new plan after the confirmation of Tom Price, his Secretary of Health and Human Services pick. CNN reported that Trump was referring to his efforts as “repeal and replace.”
The next step in the process is sending the budgeting bill, which includes the revision about appealing Obamacare, to the House of Representatives. NBC News reports that the vote is scheduled to take place this Friday, January 13. (x)
The Senate voted to start the ACA repeal process (among amendments voted down: ❌ keep preexisting conditions protection, ❌ let young adults stay on parents plan through age 26, ❌ keep contraceptive coverage).
If you don’t want to see the ACA repealed, you have to act now. Call your representative and senators in the House and Senate. You don’t have to say anything fancy. Just tell the intern/staffer who answers that you want your representative/senator to save the Affordable Care Act.
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