House Repeals CLASS Program

The House passed a bill to repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act (CLASS program), a portion of Obamacare. The program was touted as a voluntary, pay as you go program, to be financed wholly from premiums people would pay into the government-run long-term care insurance program. However, the major flaw in the proposed program (it hasn’t gone into effect as yet) was that a large number of people were expected to enter into the program shortly before they needed long-term care, ending up with the government (taxpayers) bearing the bulk of the payouts to the tune of $81 billion over the next 10 years.

All Republicans and 28 Democrats voted for passage of  HR 1173.

House Passes Bill to Deny Federal Funding of Abortions

H.R. 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, passed by a vote of 251-175, with all Republicans joined by sixteen Democrats voting for the measure.

The bill prohibits the direct federal funding of abortions, prohibits tax credits and allowances in the tax code for personal expenses paying for abortions, and prohibits tax write-offs for insurance policies that fund abortions. The prohibitions do not apply to abortions in case of incest, rape, or where the mother’s life is in danger.

House Repeals School-Based Health Care Center Expenditures

H.R. 1214 would repeal a program established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that provides grant funds to eligible entities to establish health centers in school-based settings and would rescind any unobligated funds appropriated to that program. The CBO estimates that it would save $100 million for the fiscal years 2011 and 2012, minus any funds that have already been spent.

The measure passed by a vote of 235-191, with three Democrats (Altmire (PA-4), Boren (OK-2), and McIntyre (NC-7)) joining the majority of Republicans, and five Republicans dissenting: Heck (NV-3), Kelly (PA-3), LaTourette (OH-14), and West (FL-22).

H.R. 1213 Repeals Section of Obamacare

By a vote of 238-183, H.R. 1213 was passed in the House. The bill repeals mandatory funding provided to States in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to establish American Health Benefit Exchanges. The CBO estimates the measure would reduce the Federal deficit by $13 billion over the 2012-2016 period. All 233 Republicans present for the vote were joined by five Democrats in support of the measure: Altmire (PA-4), Boren (OK-2), Gutierrez (IL-4), Holden (PA-17), and McIntyre (NC-7).

The bill proceeds to the Senate for ratification.

House Votes to Consider Ryan Budget Plan

On Friday, April 15th, 2011, the House voted 235-193 to consider and debate Rep. Paul Ryan’s long-term budget proposal, establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2012 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2013 through 2021.

House Concurrent Resolution 34 is a pro forma measure, meaning that it has no force of law, even if the Senate were to ratify it, which is highly unlikely. It is merely a starting point of debate over the direction of the Federal Budget in the years to come, and for this reason, I will not consider the votes made by House members on this bill in their scores.

House Defunds Prevention and Public Health Fund

Th House voted 236-183 on H.R. 1217, which defunds a slush fund of the HHS Secretary, the Prevention and Public Health Fund. The Fund is a part of the Obamacare bill, and its broad language allowed the Secretary of Health and Human Services to disburse large amounts of taxpayer money to NGOs and private groups to study and practice preventive health care with little oversight. The CBO estimates that the measure will save taxpayers $6 billion from 2012-2016, and an additional $10 billion from 2017-2021.

Four Democrats joined the Republican majority in its passage: Altmire (PA-4), Boren (OK-2), McIntyre (NC-7), and Peterson (MN-7).

House Passes Repeal of 1099 Reporting Provisions in the Obamacare Bill

HR 4, the Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011, was passed on a largely partisan vote of 314-112. The bill repeals changes to the IRS Code which places the burden on individuals and corporations to file 1099 forms for every transaction with others in excess of $600 within a calendar year. All Republicans voted for it, along with 76 Democrats. The bill proceeds to the Senate.

Senate Rejects Repeal of ObamaCare Bill

Amendment 9, introduced by Senator Mitch McConnell (KY), to repeal the job-killing health care law and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 was voted down on a strictly party line vote 47-51, with two – Lieberman (CT) and Warner (VA) – not voting.

ObamaCare Repeal Passed In House

H.R. 2, Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act, was passed on a 245-189 vote January 19th, 2011. All Republican members voted yea, along with three Democrats: Dan Boren (OK-2) Mike McIntyre (NC-7), and Mike Ross (AR-4).

Larry Kissell (NC-8), who was one of four Democrats who voted to bring the bill to the floor for debate in H. Res. 26, and also voted against the original Affordable Health Care Act a year ago, declined to vote for the repeal in the final moment. Kissell’s district includes Ft. Bragg (home of the Special Forces), and Pope Air Force Base, which gives a conservative cast to his electors. But it does not explain his flip-flopping on this measure. Let us trust that the voters in his district remember this vote 21 months from now.

ObamaCare Repeal Bill Admitted to House Floor

The last measure taken in the House before the week-long hiatus caused by the shooting of Representative Giffords in Tuscon was House Resolution 26, which provides for consideration of H.R. 2, to repeal the job-killing health care law and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010; it also provides for consideration of H.Res. 9, instructing certain committees to report legislation replacing the job-killing health care law.

In essence, H.Res. 26 brings the ObamaCare repeal bill to the floor for debate. The House Rules Committee has scheduled seven hours for the debate. All Republicans present voted to open it for debate, and all Democrats present except the following four voted to keep it from debate: Dan Boren (OK-2), Larry Kissel (NC-8), Mike McIntyre (NC-7), and Mike Ross (AR-4).

It remains to be seen whether these four follow up in their commitment to repeal ObamaCare, and whether more Democrats will follow their lead in the final repeal bill. I would note that these four Democrats also voted against Pelosi in the House Speaker vote.