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Sen. Murphy Tells What Happened Behind-The-Scenes With Healthcare Vote

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called the middle-of-the-night vote on the Republican healthcare bill "a historic moment in the U.S. Senate." 

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy speaks on the Senate floor on Thursday night about the health-care bill.

Photo Credit: Senator Chris Murphy

The Connecticut junior senator was the first Democrat to take to the floor of the Senate to speak against the plan, which was voted down early Friday, 49-51. 

The surprise vote on the scaled-down ObamaCare repeal bill was a major defeat for GOP leaders.

“People in Connecticut are breathing a huge sigh of relief right now. This bill, stripping health care from millions of Americans, was a nightmare, but if not for the uprising of millions of Americans all over the country, it would probably be law by now," Murphy said. 

"I'm glad to have played a role in its defeat, but I am not celebrating. People in Connecticut tell me they’re tired of the two parties simply using their health care as a political cudgel. Now we have an amazing opportunity for Republicans and Democrats to actually work together to keep what's working in the Affordable Care Act and improve what's not working. I'm ready to sit down at the table to get a bipartisan, commonsense reform bill done."

After the vote at 2:30 a.m., Murphy wrote up an account of debate. Click here to read the account at The Medium. 

In the video above, Murphy explained the facts of the bill, which had just been released Thursday evening.

The bill would have "intentionally destroy the American health care system" by repealing the Affordable Care Act, Murphy said in a statement.

Republicans forced the Senate to vote on the bill – which would have stripped health care from 16 million people by next year, increased premiums by 20 percent next year and eliminated funding for Planned Parenthood, said Murphy, a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

The vote came just two hours after the plan was unveiled.

At 11 a.m. Saturday, Murphy and U.S. Sen.Richard Blumenthal will speak at the Protect Our Care “Lives on the Line Health Care Day of Action” rally to continue their fight to save Affordable Care Act. The rally will be on the North Side of the Connecticut State Capitol, 210 Capitol Ave., Hartford. 

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