WASHINGTON, D.C., July 28, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) – The U.S. Senate voted 51 to 49 to reject a “skinny” repeal of Obamacare and defund Planned Parenthood in the early hours of the morning on July 28.
The “skinny” repeal of Obamacare would have effectively ended individual and employer mandates to purchase health insurance. It also would have defunded Planned Parenthood, America's largest abortion provider.
Rep. John McCain, R-AZ, cast the deciding “no” vote. Two other Republicans, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, also voted “no.” Murkowski and Collins have previously expressed support for Planned Parenthood.
Technically, most federal funds aren't allowed to go directly to abortions. But pro-life advocates note that money is fungible. Giving Planned Parenthood money that doesn't specifically fund abortions still helps the abortion-centered organization, allowing it to spend taxpayer money on other things that strengthen its business model.
Planned Parenthood receives nearly half a billion dollars in taxpayer funds. It commits more than 300,000 abortions annually and has faced Congressional investigation for selling baby body parts for profit. The company does zero mammograms and less than two percent of the country's cancer screenings.
Republican senators have spent a significant part of their summer battling over repealing and possibly replacing Obamacare, with moderates trying to keep some of aspects of the program and conservatives trying to gut it.
McCain, who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer, flew back to Washington, D.C. to vote to allow debate on repealing Obamacare to begin. He then voted against defunding Planned Parenthood and axing Obamacare on July 26.
“Within days he went from Obamacare repeal’s savior to its executioner,” Politico wrote of McCain. There were gasps in the Senate chamber as McCain voted “no.”
President Trump tweeted that Obamacare will “implode.”
3 Republicans and 48 Democrats let the American people down. As I said from the beginning, let ObamaCare implode, then deal. Watch!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2017
The President of Planned Parenthood declared victory and tweeted her appreciation of Murkowski and Collins.
Women won tonight! @SenatorCollins & @lisamurkowski plus thousands around country, and democratic women Senators! I am woman hear me roar!
— Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) July 28, 2017