House to Vote Jan. 12 on Health-Care Law Repeal

Republicans vow to overturn the health-care bill President Obama signed into law last March.

January 05, 2011

WASHINGTON - Next Wednesday, the House is scheduled to vote on whether or not to repeal the health-care law passed last year, the Washington Post reports. As the majority party in the House for the 112th Congress, Republicans have made overturning the health-care reforms as their top legislative action.

While Republicans feel confident in passing the legislation in the House, the Senate is still in the hands of Democrats. "Obamacare is a job-killer for businesses small and large, and the top priority for House Republicans is going to be to cut spending and grow the economy and jobs," said Brad Dayspring, spokesman for the new House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA).

The bill will have simply language that repeals the law. Some Democrats are welcoming another chance to debate health-care reform. "Republicans want another debate about health-care reform? Well, so should Democrats. They beat us in Round One with lies and scare tactics. We welcome a second shot," said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY).

While new House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) advocated a slower approach to health-care reform appeal, other Republicans wanted to jumpstart the new Congress with the legislation.

Senate Democrats wrote in a letter to Boehner that they strongly suggested keeping the prescription drug discounts to Medicare beneficiaries. "This proposal deserves a chance to work. It is too important to be treated as collateral damage in a partisan mission to repeal health care," said Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-NV) and other Senate Democratic in the letter.

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