Nor is it clear that a deal can be struck with the House, which voted for a far more sweeping repeal and replace package, including the Medicaid changes and state waivers that could wipe out Obamacare patient protections for people with health conditions. Lamar Alexander, Shelley Moore Capito, Susan Collins, Dean Heller, John McCain, Lisa Murkowski and Rob Portman all voted against the measure, with Alexander being a somewhat surprising addition to the bloc opposing the repeal-only legislation. On the same day that the United States Senate cast a crucial procedural vote that could lead to abolishing the nation’s health care law, the Affordable Care Act, Donald Trump will hold a campaign rally that will live stream from the Trump stronghold of Youngstown, Ohio, on Tuesday. The big vote so far was the failed attempt to pass the amendment by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to repeal the Affordable Care Act within two years, which would have given lawmakers time to come up with a replacement plan before the law expired. WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the effort by congressional Republicans to pass a health care bill (all times local):

The Senate has blocked a wide-ranging proposal by Republicans to repeal much of former President Barack Obama's health care law and replace it with a more restrictive plan. The Senate has voted to move ahead on health care legislation aimed at dismantling the Obama health law. “All we have to do today is to have the courage to begin the debate with an open amendment process,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday, urging Republicans to let the debate begin. Nevada Sen. Dean Heller's statement was crucial because GOP leaders can only lose two of the 52 Republican senators and keep the bill alive. It included a proposal by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to allow insurers to sell bare-bones health care plans that don't cover maternity care and other major benefits as long as the companies also sell plans that include a full range of benefits. The plan would have defunded Planned Parenthood and also included a provision that would have prevented people from claiming a tax credit on plans that cover most abortions. Democrats say the Senate parliamentarian has found additional parts of the Republican health care bill that Democrats can block because they violate Senate rules. The vote came less than a day after nine Republicans joined every Democrat in opposing a procedural objection against a modified version of a plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which is more commonly known as Obamacare. But the ultimate goal Thursday is to get to a conference committee. Seven Republicans joined Democrats in opposing yesterday’s proposal, which would have ended Obamacare’s insurance exchanges and its taxes on the wealthy; rolled back the expansion of Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor and the disabled; and ended mandates compelling individuals to have insurance and for companies to provide it. “Make no mistake: Today’s vote is a major disappointment to people who were promised full repeal,” he said in a statement. "Ultimately, we want to get legislation to finally end the failed Obamacare status quo through Congress and to the president’s desk for his signature," Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Wednesday in a speech on the Senate floor.
The United States Senate rejects "repeal only" propositions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. United States President Donald Trump lashes out at Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who voted against the proposal.