GOP vows to repeal and replace ObamaCare

Republicans vowed to repeal and replace ObamaCare following President Obama’s State of the Union address, a speech that repeatedly touted the successes of the healthcare law.

Newly elected Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) criticized the reform law for canceling healthcare plans and claimed it has raised premiums and “hurt … hardworking families.”

“Americans have been hurting, but when we demanded solutions, too often Washington responded with the same stale mindset that led to failed policies like ObamaCare,” Ernst said in the GOP’s rebuttal to Obama’s speech.

“We’ll … keep fighting to repeal and replace a healthcare law that’s hurt so many hardworking families,” she said. 

The GOP vow sets up a fight with the White House. Obama has refused to entertain most attacks on the law and repeated his stance in a defiant tone Tuesday night.

“We can’t put the security of families at risk by taking away their health insurance, or unraveling the new rules on Wall Street, or refighting past battles on immigration when we’ve got a system to fix,” Obama said.

“If a bill comes to my desk that tries to do any of these things, I will veto it. It will have earned my veto,” he said to applause.

Republicans have also failed to rally around a replacement plan for the healthcare law, focusing instead on full and partial repeal efforts.