"Democrats are not going to participate in this one-sided and broken process. Once the majority leader shows his hand, reveals what his bill will actually be, Democrats will use the opportunity to try and amend the bill," Schumer announced from the Senate floor.

He added that "until we see the real bill, Democrats will offer no further amendments."

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A spokesman for McConnell told NBC : "We'd love if they didn't offer any amendments. Great. I hope he does what he says."

Democratic senators had signaled that they planned to file hundreds of amendments for what was expected to be a days-long healthcare debate. Wednesday's strategy, if carried out, will mean that none of them get votes.

No Democrat is expected to ultimately vote for the healthcare bill. They have, so far, focused on using the Senate's rulebook to try to kill GOP amendments or try to send the entire House-passed healthcare bill to a Senate committee.

Schumer's announcement comes after Republicans voted to take up the House-passed healthcare bill, which is being used as a vehicle for Senate action, but then failed to get 50 votes for amendments that would repeal and replace ObamaCare, or a repeal-only.

Schumer added that Democrats would not try to amend a House plan "that is already dead."

"Certainly while we're not going to do that while there's some secret legislation — skinny repeal, as it's reported — waiting to emerge from the leader's office."

Republicans appear to be gathering behind a slimmed-down repeal bill, which could include a repeal of the individual and employer mandates as well as the medical device tax.

The move, if it can get 50 votes, would at least allow Republicans to go to conference with the House and merge their different healthcare proposals.

But Democrats have warned that they think the Senate passing a slimmer repeal would pave the way for using the conference group to expand that proposal so that it aligns with the broader 2015 repeal bill.