WASHINGTON, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate rejected a bill initiated by Republicans to partly repeal the healthcare law known as Obamacare in a dramatic vote early Friday, blocking President Donald Trump's move to overturn his predecessor's health reforms.
Although Republicans control the Senate, three of them crossed party lines to join Democrats, and frustrated Trump's dream with a vote of 49 in favor and 51 against the repeal bill.
Senate Republicans decided to vote on the bill to repeal parts of Obamacare, which was enacted by Democrats in 2010 under former President Barack Obama, after a debate early Friday morning.
Republicans have 52 seats in the 100-seat Senate, but their efforts failed as three Republicans, Senators John McCain, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, joined the Democrats.
McCain was diagnosed with brain cancer before he flew back from Arizona to cast his "no" vote on Republicans' amendment bill to Obamacare.
In explaining his "no" vote, McCain described the legislation as "a shell of a bill," saying the bill needs to be debated more before it's implemented, otherwise it won't improve the U.S. health care system.
Trump had vowed to repeal Obamacare, also known as the Affordable Care Act, during his campaign in the presidential elections. He said the repealing would be "so easy," and has expressed his disappointment on Twitter Friday by saying: "3 Republicans and 48 Democrats let the American people down. As I said from the beginning, let ObamaCare implode, then deal. Watch!"
The White House and Republicans have been struggling for months to repeal, amend or replace Obamacare.
In May, the U.S. House of Representatives pushed through a health bill aimed at repealing and replacing major parts of Obamacare, by a thin vote of 217-213, and forwarded the bill to the Senate.
However, the Senate has been failing to pass the Republicans' proposals in recent days. Republicans remain divided amid unsolved concerns of rising costs and fewer insurers once the bill is passed, while Democrats argue the GOP bill would cut insurance coverage for tens of millions of people.
