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Manchin amendment regarding ‘Obamacare’ lawsuit passed over

WASHINGTON — A congressional amendment directed at a lawsuit against the federal health care law failed to make it to the U.S. Senate floor for a vote on Thursday.

The action, backed by U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., would have authorized the Senate Legal Counsel to represent the body in a lawsuit led by 20 state attorneys general, including West Virginia’s Patrick Morrisey.

“All we’re asking for is give us a vote on it,” Manchin said. “Let’s see if the Senate wants to intervene and see if we can fight to save some of the people’s health care around the country.”

The lawsuit, Texas v. United States, argues “Obamacare” is unconstitutional because of the repeal of the individual mandate in the federal tax overhaul passed in December. The provision required people to purchase health care insurance or face a penalty.

According to Manchin, if the lawsuit goes through, around 800,000 West Virginians with pre-existing conditions would be at risk of losing insurance coverage.

“We have 400,00 West Virginians who have severe pre-existing conditions that won’t be able to buy insurance because insurance companies won’t sell it to them. They are just too costly. There’s not enough profit in it. They’re too sick,” Manchin said Thursday.

Manchin introduced a resolution last month asking the Senate Legal Counsel to represent the chamber in the suit, as the Department of Justice has stated it will not defend the law. All 49 members of the Senate Democratic Caucus, which includes Manchin, support the resolution.

Manchin said in a statement Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is playing political games by denying a vote on the amendment.

“I refuse to sit idly by while West Virginia’s own attorney general tries to allow insurance companies to play God by deciding who they will and will not insure. I urge Senator McConnell to allow the Senate to vote on this important amendment,” he said.

Manchin has also made the matter an issue of his Senate campaign, releasing an advertisement last week targeting Morrisey, his Republican opponent in the race, for his involvement.

Morrisey said on Wednesday’s MetroNews “Talkline” he supports protecting coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions, but wants to open “Obamacare” due to increasing health care costs.

“This is why I say Joe Manchin is dishonest,” he said. “He’s not only a liberal, but he actually engages in scare tactics in an effort to try to conjure up some boogeyman that’s going to … everyone’s health care is going to get taken away.”

Oral arguments in the lawsuit will begin Sept. 5, the same time as the Senate Judiciary Committee considers the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Senate also voted Thursday a proposal to defund Planned Parenthood. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., put the amendment forward for a vote.

The amendment failed 45-48. Manchin voted against the amendment, as did moderate Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, 43 Senate Democrats and independents Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine.

Manchin asked his Republicans colleagues to consider both amendments.

“Sen. Paul’s asked for a vote on his amendment. I think that should be granted,” he said. “And I think equally right that ours should be granted. We thought there was an agreement earlier, and I don’t know why I would not believe that politics has not been involved, but why it got involved in this level to give us a vote.”

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, who works to elect Republicans to the Senate, was quick to release a statement after the vote.

“Once again, Joe Manchin betrayed the values of West Virginians, voting to send their hard-earned tax dollars to the nation’s largest abortion provider,” spokesperson Bob Salera said. “When he’s back home, Manchin continues to try to fool West Virginians into believing he’s pro-life, but when he gets to Washington, he’ll always side with his Democratic Party bosses and the abortion industry.”

Morrisey campaign spokesperson Nathan Brand also released a statement shortly following the rejection.

“West Virginians cherish life and don’t want their tax dollars going to the nation’s largest abortion provider, but it is clear that Joe Manchin has again sided with Chuck Schumer and the radical pro-abortion donors funding his campaign,” he said.

West Virginians for Life and the National Right to Life Committee have endorsed Morrisey’s bid for federal office.





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