Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is promising to bring a repeal vote on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act before the Senate, despite not having enough votes for passage.
On Wednesday, the republican controlled House of Representatives passed a repeal of the healthcare reform law passed last year by 245-189 vote that fell primarily on party lines. The rejection of President Barack Obama’s signature legislative victory is mostly symbolic. However, GOP leaders say they’ll press on.
“I want to congratulate our colleagues in the House on this important first step. I hope the Senate will soon follow suit with a vote of its own,”McConnell said in a video address. “The democratic leadership in the Senate doesn’t want to vote on this bill, but I assure you, we will.”
McConnell added that the republicans “kept their promise to the American people” by voting for repeal of the law.
Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called the vote “partisan grandstanding” in a statement and has said in the past that he will not bring a repeal vote to the Senate floor.