Mitch McConnell on Trumpcare: ‘It Is Time to Move On’

By Kenrya Rankin Jul 28, 2017

It looks like the Affordable Care Act, also know as Obamacare, will continue to be the law of the land.

After months—well, seven years, actually—of attempting to repeal Obamacare, the Republican party hit a wall overnight (July 28) in the form of a failed vote to replace it with a so-called “skinny repeal,” legislation that CNN Money reports would have eliminated the requirement for all Americans to have insurance and let states opt out of providing essential health benefits.

The final vote was 49-51, with Republicans Lisa Murkowski (AK), Susan Collins (ME) and—in yet another dramatic flip flop—John McCain (AZ) siding with Democrats against the bill. Boston Globe reporter Astead W. Herndon tweeted a reminder for posterity after the vote:

 

In a speech on the floor following the 1:30 a.m. vote, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “It is time to move on.” He went on to talk to Democrats, saying, “Now I think it’s appropriate to ask, what are their ideas?”

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump used his thumbs to weigh in on the matter, seemingly threatening to halt federal subsidies to insurance companies that lower cost of care for patients:

 

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer also spoke on the Senate floor after the vote, then tweeted about the victory and called for bipartisan health care policy reform:

 

Watch the vote, and McConnell and Schumer’s speeches, below.