Story highlights The obstacle for leadership was to pass the bill through committee without significant defections

Three conservatives voted against the bill but that was not enough to stop it

(CNN) The Republican proposal to repeal and replace Obamacare cleared a key procedural hurdle Thursday when the House Budget Committee voted in favor of the measure supported by GOP leadership and President Donald Trump.

Of the 36-member committee, the three Republican defections were Reps. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, Dave Brat of Virginia and Gary Palmer of Alabama, all members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. That wasn't enough to topple the 19 Republicans who did support it. All 14 Democrats on the committee voted against it.

The early morning vote was quicker than expected and the legislation now moves to the House Rules Committee.

The committee took the unexpected step of holding the vote to advance the legislation at the beginning of the meeting, instead of allowing all members to speak before the vote. The session was expected to be contentious with some conservatives clearly opposed to the legislation as it stands now.

The budget committee's job was to package together plans already approved by the House Ways and Means and House Energy and Commerce Committees last week after marathon markups.

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