Pence’s $1 million fundraiser featured Ivanka Trump

In this image from video provided by C-SPAN2, the final Senate vote, with Vice President Mike Pence's vote, to start debate to tear down much of the Obama health care law, Tuesday, July 25, 2017, on the floor of the Senate on Capitol Hill in Washington. In this image from video provided by C-SPAN2, the final Senate vote, with Vice President Mike Pence's vote, to start debate to tear down much of the Obama health care law, Tuesday, July 25, 2017, on the floor of the Senate on Capitol Hill in Washington.

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It's looking likely that GOP legislation to revamp Obamacare will undergo a pretty major weight loss program before all is said and done. Expectations are building that Senate leaders will ultimately present Republicans with a " skinny " bill after more aggressive measures fail during some 20 hours of floor debate over the next few days.

Today in the peanut gallery

This revised iteration of BCRA - which included an amendment by Sen. Ted Cruz to allow non-Obamacare plans back on the market paired with $100 billion in funding to partially offset the Medicaid cuts - was subject, because of the Senate budget rules, to a 60-vote threshold for a procedural vote. It failed handily, 43 to 57, with nine Republicans and all of the Democrats opposing it.

McCain votes for Obamacare repeal debate – ” but blasts – bombastic loudmouths’

US senator John McCain has criticised "bombastic loudmouths" who "don't want anything done for the public good" as he cast a crucial vote in the Republican drive to repeal so-called Obamacare. In a speech to his Senate colleagues, Mr McCain condemned the tribal politics gripping the nation as the Republican party attempts to uproot former president Barack Obama's signature healthcare law.

Trump administration again pressures sanctuary cities

The Trump administration opened up a new salvo against sanctuary cities on Tuesday -- moving to make immigration enforcement a pre-condition for receiving key law enforcement grants. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Tuesday evening that applicants for Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants will be required to certify that they'll cooperate with federal immigration enforcement more extensively than in the past, a move that is likely to generate court challenges quickly from advocates and state and local jurisdictions who have opposed President Donald Trump's efforts.

Senate opens ‘Obamacare’ debate at last but outcome in doubt

Prodded by President Donald Trump, a bitterly divided Senate voted at last Tuesday to move forward with the Republicans' long-promised legislation to repeal and replace "Obamacare." There was high drama as Sen. John McCain returned to the Capitol for the first time after being diagnosed with brain cancer to cast a decisive "yes" vote.

Nearly 100 demonstrators arrested protesting health care bill at Capitol, Senate building

Demonstrators are removed from the Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 25, 2017, as Republican Senators moved ahead on health care with the goal of erasing much of Barack Obama's law. Demonstrators are removed from the Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 25, 2017, as Republican Senators moved ahead on health care with the goal of erasing much of Barack Obama's law.

US Vice President Pence breaks tie as Senate votes to debate healthcare bill

US Vice President Mike Pence had to break a 50-50 tie as the Senate voted by a hair to start debating Republican legislation to tear down much of the Obama healthcare law. The vote gives President Donald Trump and Republican leaders a crucial initial victory but launches a week-long debate promising an uncertain final outcome.

Senate Republicans clear key hurdle on Obamacare repeal, but the hard part is still ahead

Senate Republicans clear key hurdle on Obamacare repeal, but the hard part is still ahead "This is just the beginning," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters after the vote. Check out this story on thestarpress.com: https://usat.ly/2v4pVPb Vice President Mike Pence was the tie-breaking vote as the Senate voted to advance the GOP health care bill that aims to repeal and replace Obamacare.

Senate GOP Advances Heath Care Bill(s) to DebateThey dona t know what…

In recent days, John McCain was diagnosed with brain cancer ; Rand Paul savaged his party's health-care plan as " crony capitalism "; and Nevada's Dean Heller - the GOP's most vulnerable Senator in 2018 - denounced the bill's Medicaid cuts , while arguing that it wouldn't do anything to lower premiums. But on Tuesday, John McCain got back to town - and Paul and Heller got onboard.

Louisiana’s US senators support start of health care debate

Louisiana's two U.S. senators were among the Republicans who agreed to start debating legislation to undo much of Barack Obama's health care law. The votes Tuesday from Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy helped Republicans reach the 50 votes - with Vice President Mike Pence as the tiebreaker - needed to move ahead with a weeklong debate and a long list of amendments.

Senate GOP Agrees to Debate Health Plan With No Votes to Spare

Senate Republicans agreed to begin floor debate on health-care legislation, a hard-fought step amid uncertainty about exactly what plan senators will ultimately be asked to vote on. The drama of Tuesday's 51-50 vote -- with Vice President Mike Pence providing the tie-breaker -- was heightened by the arrival from Arizona of Senator John McCain to help the GOP try to repeal Obamacare following his brain-cancer diagnosis last week.

Vice President Mike Pence and others listen as President Donald Trump …

President Donald Trump urged Republicans to "step up to the plate" for Tuesday's crucial Senate vote on their bill eviscerating much of the Obama health care law. The stage was set for high drama, with Sen. John McCain returning to the Capitol to cast his first vote since being diagnosed with brain cancer.

John Boehner says Republicans are ‘never’ going to pass health care

John Boehner didn't mince words about the chances his former Republican colleagues will pass some sort of repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act. "Here we are, seven months into this year, and yet they've not passed this bill," Boehner told a private audience in Las Vegas last week, according to video footage obtained by The Washington Post.

RPT-U.S. Senate healthcare holdout Collins never got call from Trump

President Donald Trump exhorted every Republican to vote yes on a healthcare overhaul when it comes before the Senate this week, but one of his party's most vocal opponents of the bill, Senator Susan Collins, said he had made no effort to reach her. "The Democrats aren't giving us one vote, so we need virtually every single vote from the Republicans, not easy to do," Trump declared Monday in the White House, appearing with families he said had been harmed by Obamacare.