House Republicans Challenge Obama Health Care

19 January 2011

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Va., center, speaks about the upcoming vote to repeal the health care bill during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, flanked by other GOP House representatives, 19 Jan, 2011

Most Republican lawmakers campaigned against President Obama’s health care law, calling it "Obamacare" ahead of the November midterm elections, when Republicans took back majority control of the House but not the Senate. Republican Representative Mike Pence said Wednesday’s repeal vote is not a symbolic act, but a promise kept to voters.

"So I urge my colleagues to join us in repealing this government takeover of health care before it ever takes effect, and then work

with us, as we build healthcare reform that is worthy of the American people," said Pence.

Republican efforts to repeal the law outright are virtually certain to fail now, because Democratic Senate Majority leader Harry Reid said he will not even bring health care repeal to a vote in the Senate. President Obama also has stated that he would veto any repeal bill that comes to his desk.

The president said he is willing to work with both Democrats and Republicans to improve certain aspects of the bill, but called on Republicans not to "go backwards" and urged them not to take away the increased security for Americans he said the law provides. The law, when it is fully implemented, will bar insurance companies from refusing coverage to patients with pre-existing conditions and will extend health insurance to more than 30 million currently uninsured Americans.