A leading U.S. Senate Democrat said on Tuesday that President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul will likely survive an effort by Senate Republicans to repeal the year-old law.
Senator Charles Schumer told reporters that there is enough support in the Senate to keep the healthcare law intact.
"I think there is support ... on the floor, to make sure the basic health care bill stays intact," Schumer said.
All 47 Senate Republicans have backed a bill to repeal the law.
But that falls short of the 60 needed to overcome procedural hurdles in the 100-member Senate. Republicans may try to offer the repeal, which passed the House on January 19, as an amendment to an unrelated airline safety bill as early this week.
A federal judge in Florida ruled on Monday to strike down the entire law, because he found a mandate for most people to purchase health coverage unconstitutional, has given fresh impetus to the Republican repeal effort.
"Yesterday's ruling out of Florida, only adds to the urgency of repeal," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said in a Senate speech.
Republicans argue that the law places too big a financial burden on small businesses and that the mandate to purchase insurance violates the Constitution. The constitutional issue is expected to be eventually settled by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Democrats have been using the repeal move to try to highlight the more politically popular aspects of the law. They argue that the law is already benefiting people, particularly provisions that allow young adults to stay on their parents' health insurance until age 26 and added prescription drug benefits to the elderly.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid defended the law in a Senate speech on Tuesday.
"Health reform is complex, but this debate is a simple one: We put patients in control of their health care," Reid said.
"Repeal would put insurance companies back in charge. We can't afford it — not with our wallets, and certainly not with our lives," he added.