Senate passes symbolic vote to gut Obamacare

After five years of failed attempts, U.S. Senate Republicans on Thursday passed a symbolic bill to gut President Barack Obama's signature healthcare reform law, but Obama has vowed to veto the measure.

The Republican-controlled Senate voted 52-47 to repeal several core Obamacare provisions under special budget procedural rules that allow for passage with a simple majority rather than the 60-vote threshold needed for most legislation in the Senate.

(Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Eric Walsh)