The Republican attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act has failed, as predicted, in a partisan vote in the Senate. In order to force a vote, the motion to repeal was amended to a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill.
After initially promising to block the Republican effort to place the repeal up for a vote, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid relented after Republicans agreed not to filibuster the FAA bill, which Democrats are eager to pass as part of a job-creation agenda.
Noting the Republican pledge to repeal the health care law, Reid said, "Republicans obviously want to do something on health care. We want to get this out of their system very quickly."
Senator Jay Rockefeller, a Democrat, sharply criticized the Republican tactic of amending the repeal bill to the FAA bill. "The other side is trying to literally hijack this important FAA bill for their own political reasons. Instead of letting us move forward with a bill that will make airline travel safer, they want more votes on health care. Instead of joining us on a bill that revitalizes small and regional airports — creating and protecting jobs — they want votes on health care. And instead of working collaboratively toward a bill that would help consumers with a 'passenger bill of rights,' they want votes on health care."
Although Republicans have promised to "repeal and replace" the health care law, they have yet to propose a significant replacement plan. The vote, Republicans do not deny, was intended in part to force Democrats into taking a position on the health care law that that Republicans feel may be used against them in 2012.
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