House Deals Symbolic Blow By Voting to Quash Health Reform

 H.R. 2, legislation to repeal the health care reform law of 2010, was approved by a 245-189 vote in the House on Jan. 19, 2010. BNA reports that

[w]hile the bill is not expected to advance in the Senate, its passage sets the stage for Republicans over the coming months to try to dismantle the health reform law and craft legislative alternatives.

The final vote came at the end of a two-day debate on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in which lawmakers for both parties laid out their arguments for repealing or maintaining the law. Three Democrats joined all Republicans in voting for H.R. 2.

With Senate action on H.R. 2 highly unlikely, House Republicans will try to disrupt implementation of the law in other ways, including attempting to deny funding for it through the appropriations process and by conducting numerous oversight hearings with Obama administration officials.

The House Jan. 20 will consider a resolution (H. Res. 9) instructing committees with health care jurisdiction to begin crafting legislative alternatives to the health care law.

Chairmen of the committees with health care jurisdiction have scheduled a Jan. 20 press briefing to discuss their plans for developing health care legislation and conducting oversight.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee document is available here.