Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan has said he is “disappointed and frustrated” by the Senate’s failure to repeal the Obama-era healthcare act.
He is among several lawmakers to express frustration after three Republican senators opposed a bill to scale back parts of the US health law.
The so-called “skinny” repeal is the Senate’s third failed attempt to roll back Obamacare.
It is considered a blow to Republicans who vowed for years to repeal the law.
The legislation fell apart during the early hours on Friday, when Arizona Senator John McCain cast the decisive vote to reject the bill by 51 to 49 in the Republican-dominated Senate.
He joined Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins in opposing the plan.
An estimate from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found the “skinny” repeal would have resulted in 16 million people losing their health insurance by 2026, with insurance premiums increasing by 20%.
