Boehner, Cantor Call On Reid To Bring Repeal Bill To Senate Floor
Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 11:38AMHouse Republican leadership remain focused on proceeding with a vote early Wednesday evening to repeal President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, despite hearing criticisms that the repeal bill will die in the Senate.
“Congress can do better,” House Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) told reporters Wednesday morning. “I just think it’s time to listen to the American people and do this the right way.”
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) called on his Democratic counterpart in the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), to bring the repeal bill to the Senate floor for a full vote should it get through the House. Referring to the notion that this would be a “results driven Congress,” Cantor said he found it counterproductive for Democrats to assume the repeal bill would not carry the same support in the Senate as it would in the House.
“The American people deserve a full hearing, they deserve to see this legislation go to the Senate for a full vote,” Cantor said. “Interestingly Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) says that this is a political win for the Democrats, if so let’s see the votes.”
With the idea of “repeal and replace” in mind, both Boehner and Cantor said that a resolution will be brought to the House floor Thursday that will set the stage for committees to begin drawing up an “alternative vision” bill.
Pelosi Urges Auto Workers To Denounce Health Care Repeal
Speaking from the United Auto Workers (UAW) Conference in Washington D.C., House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called upon workers to stand against Republicans’ efforts to repeal President Obama’s healthcare overhaul bill.
“To pass health care, you flew into action: making calls, activating your enormous retiree base, and lobbying your representatives,” Pelosi said. “We need you to do so again.”
According to Pelosi, protecting health care reform is the next step to continuing America’s economic growth. The top House Democrat said her party was able to prevent the unemployment rate from reaching 16% and wants to continue “restoring prosperity for all Americans.”
The UAW openly endorsed healthcare reform in October of 2010, saying “the need for reform has never been clearer.” At that time, UAW cited the Census Bureau’s statistic that 29.3 million Americans with no health insurance coverage exemplifies America’s broken health care system.
“We call on the UAW again: make your voice heard,” Pelosi said. “Join us as we stand against repeal and for creating jobs.”