By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network
WASHINGTON – Both parties in Washington D.C. say Obamacare is flawed, but Illinois’ Democratic U.S. Senators, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, voted Tuesday against opening debate to change things.
Vice President Mike Pence voted to break a 50-50 tie just to open up debate on reforming the country’s controversial health care law, the Affordable Care Act.
Before hours of debate and the reading of amendments, Durbin said health care isn’t a privilege, it’s a right.
“We think Americans should have access to affordable health insurance across the board,” Durbin said.
Durbin said he hopes Republican reform efforts fail.
“You cannot take helpless people, some who are working hard in jobs, two and three jobs at a time, that have no health-care benefits and say to them, ‘Sorry, our system won’t take care of you’,” Durbin said.
The Senate voted Tuesday night, 57-43, to strike down one repeal effort.
New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer acknowledged on the Senate floor the current law is flawed and needs to be fixed.
Despite revelations he’d been diagnosed with brain cancer, Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain appeared on the floor and said ACA needs to be changed. He voted to allow debate but said he’s not promising to vote in favor of what ultimately comes out. He wants there to be bipartisan efforts to change the bill.
Durbin and others blasted leading Republicans for allowing for debate on reforms without unveiling what reforms were going to be on the table.
“The American people have rejected every version of Trumpcare that has been presented so it’s absolutely stunning that Senate Republicans voted to move forward with a process that could rob as many as 32 million Americans of their health insurance, cause healthcare expenses for working families to skyrocket and jeopardize a program that one in 10 veterans, two out of three nursing home residents and children with autism, Down syndrome and special needs depend on,” Duckworth said in a news release.
Any reform measures will now have to go through a process known as conference with the House before advancing to President Donald Trump’s desk.
