JACKSON, Miss.- U.S. lawmakers have begun the process to repeal the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as “Obamacare.”
A hearing for a resolution, S.Con.Res.3 was first held Wednesday among the U.S. Senate. Mississippi U.S. Senator Roger Wicker addressed other lawmakers to urge them to set into motion a repeal of the health care program.
“This is a matter of keeping our word to the American people. This is a matter of keeping our promises that we’ve made not only during the last campaign cycle, but repeatedly since I voted against this bill some eight years ago,” said Wicker.
The resolution was passed 51 to 48 in the Senate. Both Mississippi Senators Roger Wicker and Thad Cochran voted in support of the resolution. Wicker said that this will be the vehicle for replacing and repealing Obamacare. The bill will now go to the House for consideration.
Wicker said that the repeal process could include steps to repeal the mandate, individual and employer. After this repeal, there will no longer be a penalty for not buying the insurance. Then over several years they will phase in a program that Wicker said will work much better for the American people.
“Obamacare is not working. It isn’t working in my home state of Mississippi. It’s not working for millions of Americans who lost their health insurance. It’s not working for millions of Americans who saw their premiums rise and their deductibles go to unimaginable heights,” Wicker said.
Sen. Thad Cochran also voiced his support of the repeal.
“Passage of this resolution begins the important process of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, which I’ve consistently maintained was flawed from the beginning. The goal will be to undo policies and regulations that limited choice, increased costs and diminished access to healthcare. Mississippians understand that this expensive, big government experiment is not working well,” Cochran said.
Wicker said he does not believe it will all be “fixed” in one fell swoop, but that there is a bill that was presented and vetoed by President Obama that will restructure healthcare once Obamacare is phased out. He said he is confident that President-elect Donald Trump will continue working hard to put a new plan in place once he takes office.
Video of Sen. Wicker speaking to senators below:
