After a tie-break vote, the Senate began debate on how and whether to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. We are tracking the votes of Colorado Sens. Gardner, a Republican, and Bennet, a Democrat.
July 27: "Skinny Repeal" fails:
The Senate early Friday morning failed to muster a majority in order to repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act called the "Skinny Repeal." Three Republicans joined with all Democrats to reject the amendment. More on the Senate vote here. More on "Skinny Repeal" here.
- Sen. Bennet: No
- Sen. Gardner: Yes
July 26: Obamacare Repeal and Reconciliation Act fails
The Senate rejected a GOP proposal to scuttle President Obama's health care law and give Congress two years to devise a replacement. Seven Republicans joined all Democrats Wednesday in a 45-55 vote defeating the plan.
- Sen. Bennet: No
- Sen. Gardner: Yes
July 25: Senate Better Care Reconciliation Act fails:
On a 57-43 vote, the Senate blocked a wide-ranging proposal by Republicans called the Better Care Reconciliation Act to repeal much of former President Barack Obama's health care law and replace it with a more restrictive plan. Those voting "no" included nine Republicans.
- Sen. Bennet: No
- Sen. Gardner: Yes
July 25: Senate votes to open debate on GOP health care measures:
With Vice President Mike Pence breaking a 50-50 tie, the Senate voted by a hair Tuesday to start debating Republican legislation to tear down much of former President Obama's health care law. The vote gave President Donald Trump and GOP leaders a crucial initial victory.
- Sen. Bennet: No
- Sen. Gardner: Yes
What Sen. Gardner told CPR News July 23 ahead of voting:
Gardner would not say whether he supports a possible effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act without legislation to replace it. Senate leadership has proposed a vote on a straight repeal of the ACA after a GOP replacement bill failed to get off the ground.
“I don’t know that’s something that’s going to be coming up, and I don’t want to speculate on how I would vote on a bill that we don't know if it’s going to be there or not," Gardner said. “What I know we need to work on is finding relief for people suffering under Affordable Care Act and that’s what I’m committed to do.”
What Sen. Bennet told CPR News July 18 ahead of voting:
Bennet wants to increase competition among insurance companies. One way, he said, is to create strong markets by making sure that customer pools include a mix of healthy and sick patients so insurers can make money. Another possibility is a public option that would allow people to buy into Medicaid and Medicare programs. The program should also require the medical industry to provide more information about real costs to consumers, he said.
"If you don't know what a knee replacement costs, in every single hospital and [from] every single provider in Colorado or the Denver metro area, you can't make a good judgment."
