The Senate will now have 20 hours of debate the health care bill, evenly split between the two sides

[jodymarie aimee]

SHIT DAY

Senate Republicans secured the 51 votes needed to advance their health care bill after Pence cast the tie-breaking vote. The Senate will now begin debating, amending, and ultimately voting in the coming days on the future of Obamacare. The vote was too close to call until the last moments, when several Republican holdouts announced their support, including Rand Paul, Dean Heller, Rob Portman, and Shelley Moore Capito. Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski both voted against the motion to proceed. (New York Times / Washington Post / CNN)

The Senate will now have 20 hours of debate the health care bill, evenly split between the two sides. Senators can bring up and debate an unlimited number of amendments to the bill as long as they are “germane” to the bill and would not add to the budget deficit.

Then a period known as vote-a-rama happens, where Senators votes on the amendments. The first amendment will be the Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act, which repeals most of the Affordable Care Act without a replacement.

If that fails (as is expected), Senators will then vote on the Better Care Reconciliation Act, which cuts massive portions of the ACA. Because of reconciliation rules, these amendments would require 60 votes to pass. If BCRA fails, Senators will consider what is being called a “skinny repeal,” which repeals the individual mandate penalty, the employer mandate penalty, and the tax on medical devices.

Once all the amendments have been decided and voted on, the Senate will vote on the bill's final passage. Mitch McConnell can pull the bill from the floor at any time. (New York Times / Vox / Time / NBC News)

[guillaumeb]

1. And will this debate be televised?

Recommended.

[jodymarie aimee]

3. Sure, on CSPAN

like all their stuff...

[rtracey]

2. Well

Elections have consequences right? ok well Fuck the protests huh, they didnt work, so what do you want to do..... fight fire with fire now... Democrats, time to stop being the pussies of the congress and get down in the fucking dirt. The Fuckump voters are looking for the best lies, thats all. They want to believe the best lies, so lets give them the best lies.... tell them, free this, we support kicking out all immigrants, no more medicare, social security will be cut to the bone..... lie your asses off to get elected, then go back on your words...thats what they expect. Hey sorry, but this healthcare fight is not in my court, its in your leaders....GO DO SOMETHING INSTEAD OF JUST MAKING STUPID FUCKING SPEECHES.

[jodymarie aimee]

4. Agreed

When they started the Tea Party, I said to my DEMS, I was on Exec Bd, we got to start our own radical Tea Party. No, we are too good and earnest. Agree with you, fuck this good guy stuff, we fight dirty NOW.

[Wellstone ruled]

5. Heard the same crap.

[OldHippieChick]

6. So this was just a dog and pony show that Repukes can use to say "I voted to repeal

that black guy's giveaway to poor, sick people and give to white, healthy rich people". Am I missing anything? (Sorry about the poor grammar - it's late and I have had a libation)