US Republicans have taken a major step towards dismantling the outgoing president’s signature Affordable Healthcare Act, known as Obamacare, passing a measure to roll back the programme which gave health coverage to 20 million people.<br /><br /> Speaker of US House of Representatives, Paul Ryan welcomed the vote saying it was a ‘rescue mission’.<br /><br /> “This provides Congress with the legislative tools we need to repeal and replace Obamacare. This is a critical first step toward delivering relief to Americans who are struggling under this law. (...) Our goal is a truly patient centered-system which means more options to choose from, lower cost, and greater control over your coverage.”<br /><br /> “The Republicans will tell you that yes, they’ll give you something better. But, they’ve been saying this for 8 years. They have been after what is known as Obamacare for 8 years- why don`t they have a remedy. Why don’t they have a plan, why don’t they have anything. They didn’t have anything when they started to attack Obamacare. They don’t have anything today,” said Maxine Waters, Democrat Representative for California.<br /><br /> It comes after the outgoing Democrat administration announced a record number signed up for Obamacare, with the highest take up in states won by Trump.<br /><br /> The president-elect has promised to repeal and replace the program, but that may prove easier said than done without a plan in place.<br />
