Live Now: Obamacare Repeal begins tonight in the Senate

The Senate is about to kick off its repeal of Obamacare
By Bob Bryan - 4 hrs ago

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[link to www.businessinsider.com]

The US Senate is about to undertake a long evening session of votes in the first step towards a repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare.

The Senate will vote on well over 100 amendments to a budgetary resolution in what is called a "vote-a-rama."

The budget resolution and subsequent amendments being considered tonight, in essence, will direct the Senate and House to come up with a piece of legislation that would allow Senate Republicans to repeal any aspect of the ACA that relates to the federal budget.

Republicans have chosen to use this route since a typical bill is subject to a filibuster, that can only be broken by a 60 person vote to end it. Republicans only hold 52 Senate seats. On the other hand, the budget process starting Wednesday needs only a simple majority of 51 senators to pass amendments that directly involve taxes and spending.

So, the aspects of the health law that can be addressed by these votes include funding for subsidies that allow people in the law's exchanges to pay for their insurance, Medicaid expansion funding, and more.

The "vote-a-rama" part comes in since any number of amendments can be attached to a budget resolution like the one being considered. Wednesday's amendments do not have any power of law, but they force a series of symbolic votes that will go well into the night.

Thus, with some political posturing and parliamentary procedure, the wheels of Obamacare repeal will be set in motion.

The ACA repeal has become one of the top priorities for the Republican-led government since the election of President-elect Donald Trump.