House Republicans plan to hold another vote to fully repeal Obamacare — their first since the 2012 election. Like the previous three-dozen votes in 2011 and 2012, it would be dead on arrival in the Democratic-led Senate.
“We intend to bring a full repeal vote to the floor soon, and will continue to advocate for patient-centered health care reform that lowers costs and improves care,” Rory Cooper, a spokesman for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), told TPM.
After their electoral drubbing last November, party leaders wanted to stop picking health care repeal fights they knew they’d lose. But as they learned recently, even mundane messaging bills on health care, designed only to improve the GOP’s image, have trouble garnering support from conservatives, who are hungry for another repeal vote.
House GOP freshman in particular complained that unlike the more senior members, they haven’t had the opportunity to vote to repeal Obamacare yet. Republican leaders say they want to put Democratic freshman on the record.
“House Republicans look forward to offering Democratic freshman the opportunity to put their full support behind ObamaCare as its implementation causes rates to increase, coverage to be dropped and the quality of care to suffer,” Cooper said.
