In the days leading up to the Health Care Repeal vote, many political pundits were uncertain of how Republican Senator, Jack Bergman, would vote. Would he buck the party line and support repeal? Or would he remain loyal to his constituents and support Healthcare Reform?
What is the Health Care Repeal?
The health care repeal is a bill that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA or “Obamacare”). Introduced by Republican Senators Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy in late 2017, the repeal has been under consideration by the Senate since summer 2018.
What is the ACA?
The ACA, also known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, was signed into law by then-President Barack Obama in March 2010. Primarily consisting of financial incentive provisions and regulations aimed at expanding health coverage to more Americans, the ACA became operational on January 1, 2014. The law was met with significant opposition from Republicans who claimed that it was too expensive and would lead to increased government regulation of American businesses.
How did Jack Bergman vote on the health care repeal?
Jack Bergman is a registered Independent who voted against the health care repeal. In an interview with The Hill, Bergman said that he believes that the bill does not go far enough in repealing Obamacare.
The Vote
Jack Bergman, a representative from Minnesota’s Eighth District, voted in favor of the Affordable Care Act repeal in 2017.
Bergman has spoken out against the ACA repeal, arguing that it will cause a significant amount of pain and chaos for his constituents.
“It’s going to be devastating,” Bergman said in an interview with The Hill. “I mean, we’ve been telling people for years that this is going to happen and now it’s happening.”
Bergman is one of several moderate Republicans who voted against the bill, and he may be more likely to break from party lines in the future.
The Aftermath
There was a lot of speculation about what Jack Bergman would do after the health care repeal was passed in the House of Representatives. Would he vote “yes” or “no”?
In an interview with The New York Times, Bergman said that he voted in favor of the repeal because it was a “common-sense reform.” He added that he was not surprised by the House’s decision to pass the bill, and that he expects Trump to sign it into law.
Bergman is one of several moderate Republicans who supported the bill. It’s unclear whether they will be able to hold onto their seats in future elections.
What Comes Next?
As the dust settled on the passage of the GOP health care repeal bill, many people were left wondering what comes next. While it is still unclear what exactly will happen next with regards to health care, there are a few key players who will have an impact on the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
First and foremost, there is President Trump. Following through on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the ACA was one of Trump’s main priorities when he entered office. After failing to get a bill through Congress during his first year in office, Trump has made repealing and replacing the ACA one of his top priorities for 2018.
While Trump may have the power to repeal and replace the ACA on his own, he will need support from Congress. Republicans control both the House of Representatives and the Senate, but they lack a majority in either chamber. In order to repeal and replace the ACA without any Democratic support, Trump would need to work cooperatively with Democrats. However, given that most Democrats oppose repealing and replacing the ACA, this seems unlikely to happen.
If Trump fails to get congressional approval for his proposed replacement plan, he could turn to executive action to accomplish what he wants. This option
Conclusion
In the end, Jack Bergman voted yes on the health care repeal bill. He told HuffPost that he hopes that this new law will give Congress time to come up with a better plan for healthcare reform. Jack is an interesting person to follow because his political views are always changing and evolving. As we saw in this case, his vote on the health care repeal bill was not solely based off of what he thought would be best for himself or his constituents– it was also based off of how he felt about the current state of American healthcare.