Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has announced the House will move forward with a spending resolution that includes a provision to defund the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, calling the healthcare reform law a "train wreck."
Federal lawmakers must pass a spending bill before Oct. 1 to prevent a government shutdown. Rep. Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) put forth a plan last week that would involve sending the Senate a stopgap spending bill along with a separate resolution to defund the healthcare reform law that would amend the spending bill. However, conservative lawmakers criticized the plan, and a scheduled vote on the potential spending bill was delayed after Republican leaders failed to gather enough votes to approve the measure.
President Obama will reject any legislation that defunds or delays the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, White House press secretary Jay Carney said at a press briefing last week.
In conjunction with Rep. Boehner's announcement, the Republican Study Committee has introduced legislation that would replace the PPACA. The committee's bill — called the "American Health Care Reform Act" — would fully repeal President Obama's healthcare reform law.
The measure would also stop insurers from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions, prohibit federal funding of abortions and reform medical malpractice laws to limit trial lawyer fees and non-economic damages. Furthermore, the bill would allow Americans to purchase health insurance across state lines, let small businesses pool together to gain the same buying power as large corporations and expand access to health savings accounts.
More Articles on PPACA Opposition:
Obama Will Reject Any Bill to Defund, Delay PPACA, White House Says
Republicans Back New Bill to Defund PPACA
Conservative Push to Defund PPACA Delays Spending Bill Vote