Politics

McCain Vote Kills GOP Skinny Repeal

REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein

Amber Athey Podcast Columnist
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Arizona Sen. John McCain cast the deciding “no” vote on a late-night GOP Senate bill to repeal parts of Obamacare.

The “skinny” repeal bill was brought to a vote early Friday morning with the expectation that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had gathered enough Republican votes for it to pass.

However, in a surprise vote, McCain joined Alaskan senator Lisa Murkowski and Maine senator Susan Collins to vote against the skinny repeal, killing the bill.

The “no” vote comes just two days after McCain returned to the Senate after being diagnosed with brain cancer and delivered a dramatic speech calling for bipartisanship on health care reform. He also cast a key “yes” vote on a motion to proceed to debate against Obamacare.

The “skinny” bill would have repealed the ACA’s individual mandate, repealed the employer mandate for eight years, given greater flexibility to states, and defunded Planned Parenthood.

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