President Barack Obama Friday officially vetoed the bill that would have repealed key parts of the Affordable Care Act.
"Healthcare has changed for the better, setting this country on a smarter, stronger course," President Obama said in a statement on the repeal, citing the 17.6 million Americans who have gained coverage under the ACA, lowered healthcare costs and higher quality since the law was enacted.
Repealing the ACA would set back America, he said, to 22 million uninsured by 2017, meaning almost 1 million Americans would lose access to care every year. It also means those with employer-based insurance could face higher premiums and lower wages, according to President Obama, and it would defund Planned Parenthood, which disproportionately impacts low-income men, women and families.
The measure passed in Congress under special rules as a reconciliation bill, which allow for a simple majority vote and block filibusters. However, Democrats now would be able to block any attempt to override the President's veto in both the House and the Senate.
"Republicans in the Congress have attempted to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act over 50 times. Rather than refighting old political battles by once again voting to repeal basic protections that provide security for the middle class, members of Congress should be working together to grow the economy, strengthen middle-class families, and create new jobs," President Obama said in a statement. "Because of the harm this bill would cause to the health and financial security of millions of Americans, it has earned my veto."
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