Senate Passes Reconciliation Bill 52-47, Parts Of Obamacare, Planned Parenthood Gutted

After hours of votes on amendments related to gun rights (and gun control), not a single one was attached to the House reconciliation bill that’s being considered in the Senate. The Senate voted to torpedo large portions of the president’s signature health care law, along with defunding Planned Parenthood for a year by a 52-47 vote. Moderate Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Mark Kirk of Maine and Illinois, respectively, seem to be the ‘no’ votes, according to Fox News’ Chad Pergram. The GOP could only risk three defections on a bill that required a simple majority to pass.

Sens. Rubio, Cruz, and Graham all voted in the affirmative for the bill. It now goes back to the House since the Senate bill is different.

President Obama will most certainly veto this legislation, making this possible legislative victory a symbolic gesture. But it would represent some progress in Republican efforts to repeal the presidents’ signature domestic achievement, which has been marred by failure. Just as Democrats used the process of reconciliation to pass Obamacare back in 2010, Republicans alluded to using it during their winter meeting in Hershey, Pennsylvania in January.

After months of wrangling over deadlines for the reconciliation process, the Senate agreed to start the process in concert with a previous budget resolution that was passed earlier this year that stipulated House and Senate committees finding $1 billion in savings. As many of you probably already know, the budget reconciliation process is an immensely powerful legislative tool, as it cuts down on debate and only requires simple majorities in both chambers to pass.

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