Senate Dems: We'll Block Health Care Repeal
The Hill reports:
The 112th Congress doesn't begin until Wednesday, but Senate Democrats are already vowing to block any attempts by the new GOP-led House to repeal the healthcare reform law.
The Senate's top Democrats, led by Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.), wrote incoming House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Monday warning the new GOP House against advancing legislation that would undo the sweeping healthcare overhaul.
"The incoming House Republican majority that you lead has made the repeal of the federal health care law one of its chief goals. We urge you to consider the unintended consequences that the law’s repeal would have on a number of popular consumer protections that help middle class Americans," the Democrats said.
Democrats said repeal would threaten the consumer protections included in the healthcare package, including the provision that eliminates the "donut hole" in seniors' Medicare drug coverage.
"If House Republicans move forward with a repeal of the healthcare law that threatens consumer benefits like the 'donut hole' fix, we will block it in the Senate. This proposal deserves a chance to work. It is too important to be treated as collateral damage in a partisan mission to repeal health care," wrote Reid, Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), Democratic Vice Chairman Charles Schumer (N.Y.), Conference Secretary Patty Murray (Wash.) and Policy Committee Vice Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (Mich.).
Republicans are expected to act quickly on legislation to repeal President Obama's healthcare plan, perhaps as soon as this week, in order to follow through on a campaign promise.
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), the incoming chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, promised over the weekend that House Republicans would hold a vote on repealing the law before the president's State of the Union address at the end of the month.
Click here to read more.
