According to reports from Capitol Hill newspapers, the US House plans to take a vote on repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a.k.a., ObamaCare, next Wednesday, January 12. Because the Republicans are in the majority, they will be keeping their campaign promise to make repeal of the law a top-tier issue. They are also keeping another promise by posting the bill online well in advance of the vote.
The expected victory will be short-lived, however, as the Democrat-controlled Senate is not likely to pass the repeal measure. Even if they did, the president would veto it.
Instead, as the 112th Congress proceeds, House Republicans will pursue other efforts to make implementation of ObamaCare very difficult. Where they can, the GOP will defund it or not fund various provisions, such as money for additional IRS agents to enforce the individual mandate to purchase health insurance.
During 2010, Democrats in both the House and Senate did not hold one committee hearing on further examination of the new law or its implementation. House Republican leaders have vowed to hold extensive hearings on the PPACA. One committee leader has already said he intends to create a special parking space outside of the committee’s hearing room just for US Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The Department of HHS has been charged with carrying out the bulk of the new law.
