The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed legislation to repeal “the core pillars” of Obamacare, “taking a major step toward sending such a bill to the president’s desk for the first time,” The Hill reported.

President Barack Obama is certain to veto the measure after its likely approval by the U.S. House of Representatives:

“The measure guts the law by repealing authority for the federal government to run healthcare exchanges, and scrapping subsidies to help people afford plans bought through those exchanges,” The Hill reported. “It zeros out the penalties on individuals who do not buy insurance and employers who do not offer health insurance.”

The vote was 52-47, with Democrats Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz voting against it.

Hawaii’s senators earlier in the day voted against defunding Planned Parenthood, which is part of the Obamacare repeal. Schatz and Hirono were on the losing side of that effort, too.

On Wednesday, Hirono took to the Senate floor to denounce the defunding. She said in part:

“Limiting the ability of women to access health care services at Planned Parenthood clinics across the country is just one part of the Republican anti-women agenda. They refuse to fund day care, family leave, or early childhood education — in fact, one Republican health care proposal would allow insurance companies to eliminate maternity care.

“What’s going on here?

“On the one hand, Republicans want to deny women access to reproductive care. And then, on the other hand they also want to punish women for having children by not funding programs that support families.”