1. ACA in ICU
The long-awaited House bill to repeal Obamacare passed by a narrow margin this afternoon, 217 to 213. The bill now heads to the Senate, where it faces an uphill battle. Unlike the House, the Senate will wait for the bill to be scored by the CBO before holding a vote.
Party Foul
Democrats held fast against the bill, with none voting for it. The GOP saw 20 representatives vote against the party majority.
Updated
2. Womanhood: a pre-existing condition
One of the changes observers were most troubled by in the legislation: many of the conditions and life events that could now prompt higher insurance costs – such as rape, domestic violence, postpartum depression and C-sections – disproportionately or exclusively affect women.
3. Raucous caucus
There are reports from the Capitol that the House GOP celebrated the legislative victory, which many experts say will result in the deaths of thousands of Americans, with a river of domestic light beer.
Cases upon cases of beer just rolled into the Capitol on a cart covered in a sheet. Spotted Bud Light peeking out from the sheet
— Alexandra Jaffe (@ajjaffe) May 4, 2017
Summary
House Democrats also seemed to celebrate the vote on the grounds that the unpopularity of the new healthcare bill will make many GOP members vulnerable in the 2018 midterms.
House Democrats visibly joyful after AHCA passes. Singing "hey hey hey goodbye" at GOP colleagues, implying they'll lose seats for this
— Haley Byrd (@byrdinator) May 4, 2017
4. First and 10, Dems
Maybe Reince Priebus doesn’t watch too much football? Rarely is a punt into the end zone a play to celebrate. Usually teams try to avoid the move, as it scores no points and sets up the opponent with good field position.
.@Reince exiting gop cloakroom tells me: "The president stepped up and helped punt the ball into the end zone."
— Molly Hooper (@mollyhooper) May 4, 2017
5. Trump's travels
The White House announced Donald Trump’s first foreign trip as president will include excursions to Israel, the Vatican and Saudi Arabia. The meeting with the pope at the Vatican will be closely watched as the pontiff and Potus have not agreed on much to date.
6. Sessions gets last laugh
A Code Pink activist who police arrested after she laughed out loud during Jeff Sessions’ confirmation hearing was convicted of a misdemeanor for disrupting the proceedings.
One last thing ...
Is it just us, or does Flotus’s signature look an awful lot like Potus’s?
@flotus
— Pamela Anderson (@pamfoundation) May 3, 2017
Dear Melania,
Thank you for your sweet note.
It is heartwarming to see you
manage your position with such beauty and grace.
Pamela pic.twitter.com/h9mmdqxp0h
Summary
This, by comparison, is the president’s signature.
Melania Trump letter to Pam Anderson. Why does her signature look like her husband's signature? pic.twitter.com/Wp7kf0CxLL
— Yashar (@yashar) May 3, 2017
