Senate GOPs attack ObamaCare with constituent stories

Senate Republicans on Thursday bashed ObamaCare on the Senate floor, citing constituent stories on how the law has had a negative effect on their home states.

Thirty-four of the 45 Senate Republicans delivered a one-minute speech, reading personal stories from constituents about how ObamaCare is harming individuals, families and small businesses. [WATCH VIDEO]

{mosads}Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Republicans were trying to put a “human face” on the failures of the healthcare law.

“These are real Americans who are learning that the Affordable Care Act is less affordable and less accessible,” Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said.

Republicans criticized the law for raising premium prices and reducing workers’ hours because of mandates under the law. But the main criticism was that President Obama hasn’t kept his promise that if someone likes their current healthcare plan they can keep it.

“’If you like your healthcare plan you can keep it,’” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said. “It’s a nice sound bite but it isn’t true.”

Republicans called for a full repeal of the law. 

“Repealing ObamaCare’s poorly crafted and misguided mandates and replacing the law … is the best path forward,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said.

Recently even some Democrats have signed onto a bill by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) — the Keeping the Affordable Care Act Promise Act — that would ensure Obama’s promise is kept.

Democrats plan to meet with administration officials to discuss ObamaCare at a caucus lunch Thursday. That meeting will come after Obama speaks at 11:30 a.m. about an administrative “fix” to the law.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said none of the Republicans talked about legislative fixes.

“All they do is criticize and not one … gave a new idea of how to make sure that our citizens are protected with the insurance they have and make sure 48 million people have insurance,” Boxer said. “So don’t come down here tearing down the Affordable Care Act without having any plan to replace it.”