By Susan Davis
USA TODAY
The House of Representatives voted 244-185 Wednesday to repeal in full President Obama’s health care law in a symbolic display of opposition to the law after the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold it. Five Democrats sided with Republicans, who were unanimous in support of repeal.
It was the 33rd vote to repeal or defund the law since Republicans took control of the chamber last year. None of the GOP’s efforts stood a chance of enactment because Democrats control the Senate and the White House, which issued a veto threat Monday on the GOP’s repeal bill.
“We are resolved to have this law go away, and we’re going to do everything we can to stop it,” said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
The vote was aimed squarely at November’s elections, when voters will be given their opportunity to weigh in on the health care law. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and congressional Republicans are in unanimous opposition to the law and campaigning on a unified pledge to repeal it if the party is in control of Congress and the White House next year.
Even if Republicans sweep full control of Congress and the White House, a full repeal of the president’s signature achievement is an uphill and complex legislative battle, in part because many provisions of the law are popular with the American public and because Senate rules usually require super-majorities to move forward on such sweeping legislation.