Blumenthal: Senate Takes ‘Shameful Step’ To Begin Obamacare Repeal Debate

July 26--In what Sen. Richard Blumenthal called a "shameful step," the Senate voted Tuesday to begin debate on repealing President Barack Obama's signature health care law.

"This shameful step -- in effect repealing the Affordable Care Act -- means life or death to millions of Americans," Blumenthal said. "It mocks our great democracy."

Around 3 p.m. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., returned to Washington for the first time since he announced he had been diagnosed with brain cancer and voted "aye" on a procedural vote to move forward with repealing Obamacare. The vote was 50-50, with all Democrats and two Republicans against. Vice President Mike Pence broke the tie.

It wasn't clear in what order the Senate would consider the various pieces of legislation that have been introduced to do away with Obamacare -- including one version that offers no replacement plan, what amendments would be offered and whether any version would ultimately pass. A final vote is expected later this week.

"Normally we move to proceed to a bill," Blumenthal said. "They were unable to get agreement on their side as to what the bill should be, so they proceeded to a shell or a slogan."

"What we do know is that every proposal presented by the Republicans to date would result in further destabilizing the individual market, millions losing coverage and premiums increasing -- particularly for our most vulnerable residents," Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said in a written statement.

Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman said Obamacare has helped Connecticut residents beyond those who buy plans on the state's health insurance exchange. Hundreds of thousands of people gained coverage through the expansion of Medicaid, and those who are covered through their employers gained new benefits including allowing their children to remain on their insurance plans until age 26.

Sen. Chris Murphy said people in Connecticut are "scared stiff, with good reason."

"If this bill becomes law, there will be devastation in our state," he said in a written statement. "More than a hundred thousand will lose care, premiums will skyrocket and the state budget will lose billions in federal funding. But today's vote is not the end."

Democrats pressed their constituents to make noise online and flood Republican senators' offices with phone calls against repealing the Affordable Care Act.

"This is up to you guys," Murphy told a crowd of activists who gathered outside the Senate after the vote. "There are 52 [Republican] senators here who need to hear from you. You need to take this to every single one of their offices. you need to plant yourselves on the front doors of all of their district offices and make it clear that this is not right, this is not acceptable."

"Are we going to kill this bill?" Blumenthal asked the crowd, which responded in the affirmative.

"We are at a moment that you will always remember," he said. "You will remember being here, Americans will remember where they were, what they did and how they fought. And tell your children and your grandchildren you were there, you fought. We need Americans to unite and rise up and say 'kill the bill.'"

In a speech to his colleagues after the vote, McCain said he believed the Senate would fail to agree on health care legislation, and if that was the case, there should be a bipartisan path forward.

"We're getting nothing done," he said. "What have we got to lose by trying to work together to find those solutions?"

Malloy too called on Senate Republicans to include Democrats in the health care debate.

"They should instead work with governors -- both Democrats and Republicans -- to stabilize the market and make improvements to the current system that will benefit all Americans, rather than risking the lives of millions," he said Tuesday.

Blumenthal, who has grown close to McCain through their service together on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was disappointed in his vote, but heartened by his call for a bipartisan process.

"There's no getting around the fact that I wish he had voted the other way ... but he's a friend and a fighter, and I think ultimately he will vote his conscience and conviction ... that we cannot shred health care coverage for tens of millions of Americans," Blumenthal said.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated the insured population would drop by at least 22 million if any of the various health care bills it has scored are signed into law. Malloy's office estimated legislation to repeal Obamacare could cost Connecticut up to $2.9 billion a year in federal funds once fully implemented.

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