WASHINGTON, July 28 -- The U.S. Senate on Friday for the third time voted down the Republican-backed plan to repeal Obamacare, raising the question whether the Republicans' seven-year-long promise can be fulfilled.
The Republicans came just one vote short in the early hours of Friday, after three Republicans broke rank and voted against what was known as the "skinny repeal" bill, a watered-down bid to repeal parts of Obamacare the Republicans produced after two previous plans were thwarted.
Republican John McCain from Arizona, who cast the decisive no vote, tweeted after the defeat: "Skinny repeal fell short because it fell short of our promise to repeal & replace Obamacare with meaningful reform."
U.S. President Donald Trump reacted: "3 Republicans and 48 Democrats let the American People down. As I said from the beginning, let Obamacare implode, then deal. Watch!"
"We are relieved that millions and millions of people who would have been so drastically hurt by the three proposals put forward will at least retain their health care, be able to deal with pre-existing conditions," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
Without a further proposal to fulfill their promise, the Republicans may have lost the opportunity to fast-track any effort to repeal and replace Obamacare, and will be forced to return to lengthy normal legislative procedures through Senate committees.
"Our only regret is that we didn't achieve what we hoped to accomplish," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said.
With the defeat, many Republican Senators who have made repeal and replace Obamacare a centerpiece of their platform are sure to face disappointed voters, leaving uncertainties for the mid-term elections next year.
Republicans have vowed to scrap Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act, since it was ratified by former President Barack Obama in 2010. The House of Representatives passed a replacement in May, but all editions rolled out by the Senate in June and July have been rejected.