3 Republicans say no as House again votes Obamacare repeal
A trio of Republicans bucked their leadership Tuesday and voted against the GOPâs latest effort to fully repeal Obamacare â the first time any Republican in Congress has ever voted against total repeal. The measure passed 239-186, a margin that largely mirrored the outcome of House Republicansâ three previous bills. This time, however, the party hopes to offer a replacement within the next six months. Story Continued Below Yet it was the three dissenters who attracted the real attention late Tuesday afternoon: John Katko of New York, Bruce Poliquin of Maine and Robert Dold of Illinois. All are in seats held last term by Democrats and likely to be contested hard in 2016. Both Katko and Poliquin said in statements Tuesday that while they did not support the Affordable Care Act, they couldnât support its repeal without something immediately ready to replace it. âHad Congress voted for the full repeal of Obamacare two years ago, families and small businesses would have been able to adjust to the change. Now, however, more than 60,000 Mainers have invested their time and energy in choosing health care plans that work for their families,â Poliquin said in a statement. He continued, âIf Congress fully repeals Obamacare, it must be fully prepared to replace it with a free-market alternative.â The latest vote was the first time lawmakers have weighed in on full repeal since the GOP took control of both chambers of Congress, though the House has already approved several measures aimed at modifying the Affordable Care Act. Republicans have voted on dozens of bills to repeal pieces of the law since 2011. The action gives the Houseâs several dozen new members the chance to stake out their positions in the ongoing partisan fight over the future of the presidentâs health reform law. The bill also includes, for the first time, language that would delay repeal for six months to give Republicans an opportunity to offer an alternative package. Democrats cited past votes by Dold, who served in the House from 2011-2013, in favor of repealing the law, along with statements by the freshman Poliquin vowing to do the same. âCongressmen Dold and Poliquin appear to be hoping voters will forget their original pandering on health care,â said Josh Schwerin, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. âAs we get closer to Election Day, we will see more and more of these chameleon votes.â No Democrat crossed party lines to support Tuesdayâs legislation. In the end, the latest vote will remain largely symbolic. Republicans in the Senate are expected to address Obamacare within the next several months, but a full-scale repeal bill has little chance of clearing that chamberâs 60-vote threshold. President Barack Obama has also made it clear he will veto any repeal or significant roll-back of his signature health legislation. âIn addition to taking away Americansâ health care security, the bill would increase the deficit, [and] remove policies that have helped slow health care cost growth and improve the quality of care patients receive,â the administration said in a statement. âThe last thing the Congress should do is refight old political battles and take a massive step backward by repealing basic protections that provide security for the middle class.â During an afternoon event at the White House, Obama also told supporters, âI donât know if itâs the 55th or the 60th time that [the House is] taking this vote, but Iâve asked this question before: Why is it this would be at the top of their agenda?â Senate leadership has indicated it will kick off Obamacare debate with a noncontroversial bill aimed at exempting veterans from the lawâs employer mandate counts, although Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Monday introduced legislation aimed at total repeal. On three other full-repeal votes, between two and five House Democrats crossed party lines to support the measures, but those moderates have since left office. The House last voted on full repeal in May 2013. Similar language was included in budget language put forth by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and passed by the House last April. âThe Republicans [are] baying at the moon,â Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said on the House floor. âThis is something that is not going to work and instead of proposing any, which weâd be welcome to hear, good suggestions they have to improve the Affordable Care Act, theyâre baying at the moon [for the] 56th time.â