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Republicans are facing a critical moment in health care after a federal judge overturned the Affordable Care Act, jeopardizing the historic law against which the GOP beat for eight years.
During the mid-term campaign, President Trump and the Republican candidates He repeatedly promised to protect millions of Americans with pre-existing medical conditions, as the law does, even as the administration had launched a legal challenge to the law commonly referred to as Obamacare by 20 GOP-led states.
This lawsuit led to the decision Friday of the United States. District Judge Reed O'Connor, who concluded that the law was unconstitutional, was amended due to Republican changes to the country's tax laws last year. The White House said the law would remain in effect pending the appeal process.
Nevertheless, Republicans are increasingly eager to come up with an alternative to the law that they have been strongly opposed to since its adoption and a way to ensure affordable health care coverage. some 52 million people with diabetes, asthma and cancer. But they are still torn apart by the divisions that thwarted earlier efforts to reshape the law.
"There are a lot of loopholes in the ACA, but there are also a lot of very good provisions, and throw it out the window. This is not the way to go, "said Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), who disagreed with Friday's decision. "We can not take a position to repeal and not replace the ACA."
The replacement agreement was a difficult goal for the government, which tried to defeat a Senate last year. Collins voted against this plan. While the Democrats are about to take control of the House, their window for an alternative to Obamacare, unlike Trump's office, has effectively been closed for the next two years.
However, Republicans still have a political imperative to rally around their own plan. , especially ahead of the 2020 elections for President and Congress Democrats grasp Friday's decision to underscore the GOP's repeated efforts to dismantle ACA.
"Mid-term, the threat to health care was theoretical and now a clear and present danger," said Jesse Ferguson, former chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi (California) promised that her chamber would "officially intervene in the appeal process" when her party took power in January. The leader of the Senate minority, Charles E. Schumer (DN.Y.), said that he would force next year to vote votes that would show that Republicans were dishonest in health care , votes that can be used in campaign ads. A Liberal group is planning to pressure the GOP senators to be re-elected to oppose the decision.
"They are trapped by their white hatred against President Obama and all that he has done," said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Speaking of Republicans. "And if they stay at this place, it will be their loss as a party."
While many congressional Democrats spoke in the hours following the judge's decision, the Capitol Hill Republicans were much quieter on Saturday. The dynamic was similar to this year's mid-term elections, in which Democrats were eager to seek health care and Republicans sought to direct voters to other topics.
Health care policy has evolved in recent years. The repeal and replacement of the ACA was a rallying cry for Republicans under the mandate of President Barack Obama and a source of concern for many Democrats. But over time, the law has grown in popularity, millions of Americans have been insured and Obama has left office.
Thirty-seven states expanded the number of its citizens, and three Republican-style states – Idaho, Nebraska and Utah – approved the most recent month's voting measures to expand the health care program for the poor and handicapped.
At the mid-term, Democrats made health a priority, positioning themselves as strong advocates of the reputed provisions of the law, including its protections for pre-existing people. conditions. They accused the Republicans of being hostile to these provisions, noting that their attempt to repeal and replace failed in 2017.
They also highlighted the trial, which was joined by Republican governors and prosecutors States of 20 States. Among them was Josh Hawley, elected to the Missouri Senate despite attacks on his decision to join the legal battle.
Hawley was one of the Republicans who campaigned for protective measures for people living outside of Obamacare.
"It is now time for both parties to work together to reduce health care costs, improve access to quality care for all and protect those with pre-existing conditions," Hawley wrote. Friday on Twitter, in response to the decision.
Sen. Claire McCaskill, the democrat defeated by Hawley, had a different point of view. "@HawleyMO won the victory he was looking for in his lawsuit," she tweeted Friday. "Obamacare was emptied by a Texas court because of his lawsuit. Rs promised to repeal and replace. They did not do it. @HawleyMo has now repealed the courts. But there is no replacement. Scary stuff for millions of people. "
Republican House leaders welcomed Friday's decision and outlined the law they passed in their House last year to revise the Health Care Act.
" President Trump made it clear that he wanted a solution and I am determined to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that the American health care system works for all Americans. " said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in a statement.
to imply was not clear. A spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for more clarity.
Trump commented on Saturday the ruling against ACA, telling reporters that he wanted to work with the Democrats to enact a new law, without specifying nor how he
"We are going to get d & # 39; 39; excellent health care for our people, it's a repeal and a replacement, treated a little differently, but it was a great victory for a highly respected, highly respected judge in Texas. Said Trump.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Did not take the decision publicly into account. A spokesperson did not provide any information on his thoughts. The day after the mid-term, McConnell showed no interest in a new effort to tear ACA apart at the next Congress.
"I think that's pretty obvious, the Democratic House will not be interested in it," said McConnell, who instead suggested that lawmakers correct the flaws in the law "on a bipartisan basis" .
Republicans rose to a majority of 53 to 47 in the Senate in mid-term. Yet Schumer promised Saturday to raise the issue of health care at the next session of Congress.
"The GOP has spent the last year pretending to support people with preexisting conditions while quietly trying to withdraw that support from the courts," he tweeted. . "Next year, we will force the votes to expose their lies. They will no longer be able to lie to the American people. "
Republican senators will also be under pressure from outside the Capitol.
" We will ask every Republican senator, for example, They publicly declare that they oppose this lawsuit and that It should be canceled, "said Leslie Dach, chair of the Protect Your Care campaign, an alliance of liberal groups.
Joni Ernst is one of the Republican senators facing a potentially competitive reelection campaign. from Iowa. Ernst issued a statement Saturday stating that it was "important to protect people from preexisting conditions while we were repealing and replacing Obamacare."
She highlighted the legislation that she had co-sponsored in this regard. He has not received a vote yet.
Josh Dawsey contributed to this report.
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