The Republican-controlled Senate on Tuesday passed a budget resolution along party lines that promises to ax the Affordable Care Act, though the bill would likely face veto by President Barack Obama if it ever reaches his desk.
“Because this budget is about embracing the future, it also gives us the tools to leave Obamacare’s broken promises and higher costs where they belong – in the past – in favor of a fresh start, with the opportunity for real health reform,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday.
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The budget agreement follows adoption last week by the House, as the first joint budget resolution to be approved by Congress since 2009.
In addition to including a clause that would set up a reserve fund to support an Obamacare repeal, the budget also targets the controversial employer mandate. Specifically, what determines a “full-time” employee who would require employers to offer health insurance.
While it’s no surprise that Republicans have had strong objections to the Affordable Care Act since it was approved early in Obama’s presidency, that tone makes it into the bill. The budget calls the Affordable Care Act “illegal” in one section and twice refers to the law as “Obamacare,” the colloquial term for the law.
Republicans have recently tried to play down positive reports for the ACA, such as one showing a 5 percent decrease in the number of uninsured Americans since the law went into effect. Republicans point to a coverage-to-care gap.
“Yeah, you know why there’s more people insured? Because a lot more people are on Medicaid,” Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, on Sunday said on NBC’s Meet the Press. Boehner said they end up in the emergency room.
Recent data has shown the number of emergency room visits has not slowed despite the intention of the ACA.
On Tuesday, the Senate budget resolution passed 51 to 48. All 46 Democrats voted against, as did GOP presidential contenders Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
The balanced budget contains no tax increases, according to McConnell.
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The budget resolution is not sent to the President for his signature, but goes forward in specific spending bills for the upcoming fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.
The Senate requires a two-thirds vote to approve most spending bills. However, the budget resolution includes a reconciliation provision that would allow the Senate to pass legislation by a simple majority rather than the 60 votes currently required.
Republicans currently control 54 seats in the Senate.
Here's the full budget:
Twitter: @SusanMorseHFN