After just voting to repeal and replace Obamacare with a 217-213 vote, House Republicans have been invited by President Trump to the White House for a victory press conference.
If victorious, Republicans will be having a big press conference at the beautiful Rose Garden of the White House immediately after vote!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2017
Of course, the party already got started in the House when Republicans launched into spontaneous song on the House floor:
"Na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye!"
Democrats chant "na na na na hey hey goodbye" as the House passes the Obamacare repeal bill https://t.co/6KitWdxyRi pic.twitter.com/7p5zfs13F2
— POLITICO (@politico) May 4, 2017
Tune in below for the celebratory gathering:
Of course, all of the celebrations are undoubtedly premature as the bill will now be sent to the Senate where it will likely have to be substantially modified in order to attract 51 Republican votes. Per the Washington Post, here is what happens next:
Bill must pass Senate
Because Republicans hope to pass this legislation under the less-onerous budget
reconciliation process, which would allow it to pass the Senate with only 51 votes, House leaders must make the bill comply with the Senate’s “Byrd Rule.” Generally, the rule says a reconciliation bill must relate to the budget, which means some of the Affordable Care Act’s provisions cannot be addressed via this process because they do not deal with taxes or spending. It also stipulates that the law cannot add to the deficit in the long term (10 years after it is implemented).
It will be up to the Senate parliamentarian to decide whether the legislation meets the Byrd Rule standards. Democrats have said that the bill does not meet the standard, something Republicans sacrificed in favor of a more complete repeal.
It’s likely that the Senate will do a significant rewrite of the legislation, modifying it but also setting up a showdown with House Republicans aiming for a more conservative approach.
If the course and Senate bills differ, a conference committee is formed
It’s almost certain that the Senate version of the legislation will look nothing like the conservative bill the House hoped to pass Thursday. If and when this happens, it’s common for a group of lawmakers from the two chambers to come together to iron out the differences between the bills. The result is then presented to both chambers for a final up-or-down vote.
President signs the bill into law
If Trump sours on the bill, he could decide to veto — effectively killing the legislation. Or he could sign it, kicking off the next phases of the Republican effort to dismantle Obamacare: further regulatory actions and additional legislation.
Last year, an Obamacare repeal bill cleared both houses but was promptly vetoed by President Barack Obama in defense of his signature policy accomplishment.
Administrative actions
Beyond the AHCA, Republicans have outlined two other phases of health-care overhaul. The first of those is an easing of regulations, begun by Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order telling federal agencies to “minimize the unwarranted economic and regulatory burdens” of Obamacare. Regulatory reforms could include narrowing the list of benefits that Obamacare requires insurers to cover.
Additional legislation
Because only budget-related items are allowed in a reconciliation bill, Republicans also plan to address other aspects of the replacement with at least one other piece of legislation. This bill would be subject to the filibuster, requiring 60 votes — and at least eight Democrats — to get to a Senate floor vote. It could include allowing people to buy insurance across state lines.