Obama camp praises everyone who “made their voices heard” against GOP health care bill

Failed vote after failed vote, former President Barack Obama watched as Senate Republicans tried to repeal his signature piece of health legislation — and ultimately came up short, at least for now.

On Friday, via spokesperson Kevin Lewis, Obama praised the activist and grassroots efforts that helped stop Republicans from repealing the Affordable Care Act, also called Obamacare.

“The Affordable Care Act has always been about something bigger than politics,” Lewis, Obama’s spokesperson, said in a statement. “Today, it remains that way because of everyone who mobilized, organized and made their voices heard.”

Here is Lewis’s statement in full:

It’s not clear where Republicans will go from here. President Donald Trump, over Twitter, called for letting Obamacare “implode” on its own.

Meanwhile, Senate and House Republicans are still mulling over different health bill ideas that have not been fully formed.

Many, including Sens. John McCain (R-AZ), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who all voted to kill the Senate’s latest health bill push — a “skinny repeal” that did away with the individual and employer mandate in addition to repealing the medical devices tax and defunding Planned Parenthood — have long decried Republican leadership’s secret strategy over Obamacare repeal, pushing for a return to regular order, with committee hearings and bipartisan reforms.

Obama has made a similar call, reiterated in his statement.

“President Barack Obama still believes that it is possible for Congress to demonstrate the necessary bipartisanship and political courage to keep delivering on the promise of quality, affordable health insurance for every American,” Lewis’s statement said.

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