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:
don’t write a mccain-is-a-maverick story w/o acknowledging that murkowski/collins were the principled no votes from the jump. goodnight
— Astead W. Herndon (@AsteadWH) July 28, 2017
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:
3 Republicans and 48 Democrats let the American people down. As I said from the beginning, let ObamaCare implode, then deal. Watch!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2017
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:
To everyone who called, tweeted, emailed, and raised their voice in any way: thank you. Your stories matter. They matter a great deal.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 28, 2017
But we are not celebrating. We are relieved–for the millions of Americans who can keep their insurance and breathe a little easier.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 28, 2017
Now, it’s time for the Senate to come together in a bipartisan way to fix the problems that exist in our healthcare system.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 28, 2017
We can stabilize the markets through funding cost sharing reduction & creating reinsurance programs, which keeps premiums, deductibles down.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 28, 2017
This is how the Senate works. This is ‘regular order.’ We can work together. We will. Democrats are ready to sit down & improve our system.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 28, 2017
Watch the vote, and McConnell and Schumer’s speeches, below.