Senate Begins Process To Repeal Obamacare

Trump just can’t seem to lose today.  The President-elect scored two early victories with Ford announcing plans to keep a plant in the United States, a move they described as a “vote of confidence” in Trump, and the announcement that his nemesis at Fox News, Megyn Kelly, plans to move to NBC.  Now, before he’s even taken office, the Senate has started preparations for a repeal of Obama’s single crowning piece of legislation, the Affordable Care Act.

Moments ago, the Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi released a 2017 budget resolution setting up the process to partially repeal Obamacare early in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration. The Senate will consider the bare-bones budget on the floor starting this week with votes expected next week.  Once the House and Senate agree on a resolution a reconciliation bill repealing parts of Obamacare could proceed. 

Of course, using the reconciliation process allows Republicans to avoid a Democratic filibuster in the Senate which is the same process that Democrats used to pass the controversial legislation in the first place.

This news follows a pair of tweets from Trump earlier this morning declaring that “Obamacare just doesn’t work.”

People must remember that ObamaCare just doesn’t work, and it is not affordable – 116% increases (Arizona). Bill Clinton called it “CRAZY”

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017

The Democrat Governor.of Minnesota said “The Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) is no longer affordable!” – And, it is lousy healthcare.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017

Of course, as we pointed out last week, Obama has summoned top Democrats to a meeting on The Hill tomorrow to “stategize” on how they might fight Trump’s repeal efforts (see “Obama Heads To The Hill To Strategize With Dems On Fighting Obamacare Repeal“).  Unfortunately for Dems, given that Republicans will control all three branches of government in about 17 days and only a simple majority vote will be required to repeal the law in the Senate through the reconciliation process, they’re pretty much powerless.

Here is the full text of resolution: