Senate Debates Obamacare Repeal Bill; Obama Threatens To Veto

The Senate on Wednesday undertook deliberation of a bill that aims at repealing major portions of Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, and cutting off funding from Planned Parenthood, USA Today reported.

Republicans slam the health care plan for escalating health insurance premiums, increasing cost of deductibles payable by patients and limiting the choice of doctors, and said it was time to end "the pain and hurt". With 54 Republican senators, the bill is unlikely to get delayed as it requires only 51-vote majority under the budget reconciliation process.

"This week, we finally have a chance to vote to end Obamacare’s cycle of broken promises and failures with just 51 votes," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as quoted by USA Today. "It’s a bill that will take the first steps necessary to build a bridge away from Obamacare...The president can’t be shielded from the weighty decision he’ll finally have to make when this measure lands on his desk."

Democrats, on the other hand, are all praises for the law as it provided medical coverage to millions of uninsured American citizens, stopped insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing health problems, and making provision for young people to stay on their parents' insurance until 26 years of age, USA Today noted.

Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Republicans are "obsessed" with repealing Obamacare and pointed out that Senate Republicans have made 16 unsuccessful attempts to pass an Obamacare repeal already. House Republicans have voted to repeal all or part of the law nearly 50 times.

"Enough of this haranguing about Obamacare," said Reid. "One need only go home and people come up and say: 'Obamacare is so good. My daughter who could never get health insurance because she is a diabetic can now get it.' That’s because of the Affordable Care Act."

The bill passed the House passed in October but will likely have to be approved a second time if an amended version is passed this week. Minority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, said the vote will happen Thursday night.

The White House issued a statement Wednesday saying that President Obama will veto the bill if it reaches his desk:

"Repealing key elements of the Affordable Care Act would result in millions of individuals remaining uninsured or losing the insurance they have today. An estimated 17.6 million Americans gained coverage...The (bill) would roll back coverage gains and cost millions of hard-working middle-class families the security of affordable health coverage they deserve."