House Passes Repeal of Health Care Law

WASHINGTON—After a spirited debate, the House of Representatives Wednesday approved, on a near party-line 245-189 vote, legislation to repeal last year’s health care reform law. Just three Democrats voted in favor of the measure.

The vote on the measure, H.R. 2, introduced by Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., with 181 cosponsors, is largely symbolic, fulfilling a campaign promise made by GOP leaders during the 2010 congressional elections.

Few observers expect the Democratic-controlled Senate to join the House. Still, the House action marks the beginning of efforts to amend the law. Republicans and Democrats are united, for example, on stripping a provision from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that requires employers to furnish 1099 reporting statements if they do more than $600 of business with a corporate vendor starting in 2012. Small employers in particular complained that the reporting burden is too great.

Republicans are looking for Democratic support to repeal provisions that will require most employers to offer coverage or pay a $2,000-per-full-time-employee penalty and mandate that individuals enroll in a qualified plan or face financial penalties, beginning in 2014.

Republicans also are exploring ways to deny funding to federal agencies charged with developing regulations to help implement the law.

The democratic controlled Senate has already vowed to block any chance of repeal there and President Obama has also promised a veto were a repeal to make it to his desk.