Senate advances health care bill as McCain makes dramatic return, Pence breaks tie
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Story highlights
- Vote on motion to advance health care bill is Tuesday afternoon
- Republicans can only lose two senators or the motion will fail
- Sen. John McCain is returning to Washington for the vote
Washington (CNN)Senate Republicans voted to advance to floor debate on their efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare.
Vice President Mike Pence cast the tiebreaking vote.
In
a dramatic moment, Sen. John McCain returned from Arizona to applause
from fellow senators. He cast a necessary Republican vote for the motion
after two GOP senators -- Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski -- sided
with all Democrats in opposition.
As the vote began, protesters in the Senate gallery shouted "kill the bill" and "shame, shame, shame!"
The
vote came as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President
Donald Trump dared their fellow Republicans to block their seven-year
campaign promise to repeal and replace Obamacare.
The
next step is floor debate on the legislation to overhaul the Affordable
Care Act even though there aren't any guarantees the votes are there to
eventually pass it -- and it's unclear what a final bill will look
like.
The vote was up in the air
until the last moments, when Several Republican holdouts announced their
support, including Sens. Rand Paul, Dean Heller, Rob Portman and
Shelley Moore Capito.
Trump, who
has repeatedly said he's ready to sign any repeal legislation,
celebrated the vote, which creates a path to give him the major
congressional victory that's eluded the White House thus far.
"I'm
very happy to announce that with zero of the Democrats' votes, the
motion to proceed on health care has moved past and now we move forward
toward truly great health care for the American people. We look forward
to that. This was a big step," Trump said at a White House news
conference.
"I want to thank Sen. John McCain," he added. "A very brave man. He made a tough trip to get here."
Democrats are united against the bill, saying it would end health care coverage for millions of Americans.
Sen.
Bernie Sanders Monday called the bill the "cruelest, most destructive
and irresponsible piece of legislation ever brought to the United States
Senate in the modern history of this country."
In
a speech at the NAACP national convention, highlighted the possible
effects of the bill's provisions, which include cutting Medicaid,
defunding Planned Parenthood and roadblocks for those with pre-existing
conditions.
Paul, Heller back motion
McConnell won over key holdouts, but those senators haven't said they will back the final measure.
Paul,
a Kentucky Republican, said he will support the procedural vote to open
debate on the health care bill, so long as leadership guarantees a vote
on a full repeal of Obamacare.
"If
this is indeed the plan, I will vote to proceed and I will vote for any
all measures that are clean repeal," Paul tweeted. Such an amendment
would be expected to fail, however.
Heller,
who has complained that Obamacare repeal efforts could hurt Nevada
residents dependent on Medicaid, nevertheless said he'd vote to move
forward. Heller is up for a tough re-election campaign in Nevada next
year.
"Obamacare isn't the answer,
but doing nothing to try to solve the problems it has created isn't the
answer either," Heller said in a statement. "If the final product isn't
improved for the state of Nevada, then I will not vote for it; if it is
improved, I will support it."
Republican leaders Tuesday worked thread any needle they can to appease other holdouts.
"The only goal is to get onto the bill. Nothing happens until we do, so that's the only goal," a Republican aide said.
"These are the moments legislatively when you get creative. We're getting creative."
If it passes
Leadership
was floating a strategy Tuesday morning that lays out a series of
proposals that attempt to give everyone they want, even though nearly
every element is destined for failure on the floor during the amendment
process.
That strategy is as follows, in terms of amendment order:
The full repeal bill that Paul backs.
A
bill including the "consumer freedom amendment" from that Sens. Ted
Cruz and Mike Lee originally advocated for, that includes a request from
Sen. Rob Portman for $100 billion in additional Medicaid funding. That
would require 60 votes to pass.
The GOP bill proposed earlier this month that McConnell pulled when too many Republicans opposed it.
Finally, a "skinnier" repeal bill that repeals Obamacare's individual and employer mandates.
This story is breaking and has been updated.
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