Former Senator Who Faced Political Consequences Of ACA Vote Speaks Of Lessons Learned
“I believe that you have to be very cautious on promises, and very consistent on keeping your promises when you make them," former Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska says. In other news, former Rep. Bart Stupak shares the experience he had when Congress was moving to pass the Affordable Care Act.
Omaha World-Herald:
Ex-Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, Whose Obamacare Vote Caused Controversy, Says Odds Are Against GOP On Health Care
Nearly eight years ago, Ben Nelson cast a U.S. Senate vote in favor of a version of the Affordable Care Act, and he’s still catching heat.
The latest critic: President Donald Trump, who said this week that Democrats “ended up giving away the state of Nebraska” to win passage of the law in 2010. In an interview with The World-Herald on Thursday, Nelson said Trump and other critics misunderstand what actually happened, but he agreed with the president’s broader point: Passing a health care law was difficult for him and his fellow Democrats and is politically challenging for today’s Republicans. (Jordan, 7/21)
Roll Call:
Stupak Shares Insider Look At Obamacare Debate In New Book
The former congressman opposed the House Democrats’ original health care bill because of provisions to pay for abortions, until he was able to add the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which he wrote with former GOP Rep. Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania. It prohibited the use of federal funds to pay for an abortion or parts of the cost except in the case rape, incest or danger to life. It was adopted by the House in November 2009, but not included in the Senate’s version of the bill. During the arm-twisting and agonizing over the bill, Stupak said he spoke directly with President Barack Obama twice. They made a deal that Obama would issue an executive order to not allow abortion funding. (Gangitano, 7/24)
