Simpson, Labrador split on resolution to dismantle Obamacare

Jan. 13--U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson joined most of the rest of his Republican colleagues Friday in voting for a budget resolution that gets rid of much of the Affordable Care Act, while U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador and eight other Republicans joined the Democrats in voting "No."

Labrador's reasons presumably differ from the Democrats who voted against the resolution, however -- it was concern that it would increase the national debt too much, not a desire to preserve the ACA, that prompted the Idaho Republican's vote. Citing similar concerns, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul offered an amendment to the resolution to also balance the federal budget, but the Senate shot it down at the beginning of this week.

"America's debt presents the gravest threat to our future," Labrador said in a statement. "While I'm fully committed to repealing Obamacare, we shouldn't do so with a budget that refuses to address the threat and puts us another $10 trillion in the red."

The resolution passed the U.S. Senate on Thursday 51-48, with Idaho's two Republican senators, Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, in support. It passed the House 227-198 Friday.

Using a budget resolution allows the Republicans to repeal much of the ACA with a simple majority in the Senate, bypassing a Democratic filibuster that would require 60 votes to break.

Republicans throughout the country, including president-elect Donald Trump, have been running for office almost since the ACA was passed on the promise they would repeal it if they got the chance, and Congress has voted many times to do so. With a Republican president being sworn in a week from now, the GOP appears well positioned to undo President Barack Obama's signature piece of legislation.

"It is no secret that Obamacare has not lived up to the promises made six years ago," Simpson said in a statement. "Obamacare has led to higher premiums, higher deductibles, and fewer choices -- and this is before the most egregious tax hikes have gone into effect. I hear from Idahoans daily about the struggles associated with this law, and today's legislation represents an important step in replacing Obamacare with real healthcare reform that puts decisions back into the hands of families, patients, and doctors."

Democrats have been harshly critical of the GOP repeal efforts, especially since there is no replacement for the ACA ready and many worry simple repeal could put at risk the health coverage of more than 20 million people who have gotten insurance under the act. In Idaho, about 100,000 people have coverage through Your Health Idaho, the state exchange lawmakers here created in 2013.

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