112th Congress, Vote 9; Senate #223

Repealing the Health Care Bill

Official Title: A bill to modernize the air traffic control system, improve the safety, reliability, and availability of transportation by air in the United States, provide modernization of the air traffic control system, reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes.

HR 2: Repealing the Health Care Bill
Passed House January 19, 2011, 245-189.

Synopsis: HR 2 would have repealed the health care reform bill approved by Congress in 2010. In arguing for the repeal, the American Conservative Union described the Affordable Care Act as a "2,200-page monstrosity" and "the worst bill ever." The organization called for repeal of "the federal government's takeover of our health care system."

The Obama Administration, opposing the repeal, said HR 2 would "explode the deficit, raise costs for the American people and businesses, deny an estimated 32 million people health insurance, and take us back to the days when insurers could deny, limit or drop coverage for any American." President Obama said he would veto HR 2 if it was approved by the House and Senate and presented to him.

Why supporters pushed for this bill

• In arguing for the repeal, the American Conservative Union described the Affordable Care Act as a "2,200-page monstrosity" and "the worst bill ever." The organization called for repeal of "the federal government's takeover of our health care system."
• According to a study by the National Federation of Independent Businesses(NFIB) – the nation's largest small business association – the fact that the law would mandate that employers offer insurance "could lead to the elimination of 1.6 million jobs, with 66 percent of those coming from small businesses."

Why opponents tried to stop the bill

• Opposing repeal, the Administration said HR 2 would "explode the deficit, raise costs for the American people and businesses, deny an estimated 32 million people health insurance, and take us back to the days when insurers could deny, limit or drop coverage for any American." President Obama said he would veto HR 2 if it was approved by the House and Senate and presented to him.
• Opponents note that the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) study was done in January of 2009, and based on an earlier version of the reform legislation. The NFIB assumed that all employers would be required to offer insurance, and that employers would have to pay half the cost of premiums.
  
  In fact, the final version of the bill signed in 2010 exempts companies with 50 or fewer workers from any mandate. When the NFIB estimated that 1.6 million jobs would be lost, they were projecting that nearly one-third of those jobs would be lost at firms with 19 or fewer workers. In addition, the NFIB study assumed that another 420,600 jobs would disappear at firms with 20 to 99 employees. As Politifact.com points out, "presumably a good percentage of those are companies with 50 or fewer employees, and again, are exempt from the health care mandate."
• Opponents also pointed out that the Congressional Budget Office reported that the legislation "will reduce the amount of labor used in the economy by a small amount – roughly half a percent – primarily by reducing the amount of labor thatworkers choose to supply."
  
  Today, some workers stay in their jobs because they need health insurance. Under reform, they will have options – many will qualify for subsidies that will help them buy insurance in the Health Exchanges. As a result, CBO explains "a small segment of the population may voluntarily choose to work less." But this does not mean that their jobs were "killed" by health reform legislation.

02/02/2011

Status: Senate motion rejected

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