Mandate Repeal Vote Fails

An attempt to repeal the individual mandate of the health care bill has failed in the House of Representatives:

A Republican effort to repeal the individual mandate in the Democrats’ health care overhaul failed Tuesday afternoon on a largely partisan vote.

Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan, the top Republican on the Ways and Means Committee, called for the repeal under a “motion to recommit” — a parliamentary tool often used by the minority party to change bills on the House floor. Never mind that the bill Camp is using for this maneuver is a small business tax bill — Republicans wanted to get Democrats on the record once again saying they back a law that requires uninsured Americans to purchase health insurance.

The procedural motion never really had a shot at passing, but that wasn't the Republicans' point. The vote was 187-230, with 21 Democrats voting to roll back the individual mandate. The votes were essentially the same as the final vote on the health care law.