House Votes to Fix Health Care
Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives took a bold first step on the journey to saving health care.
by Mark Cavers
Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution aimed at saving our health care system by repealing ObamaCare through a bipartisan vote of 245 to 189.
Below is a look at some of the important numbers surrounding this vote and the original passage of ObamaCare.
A larger margin, in a bipartisan fashion
Yesterday’s vote was passed 245 to 189 in a bipartisan fashion. Compare that to the original ObamaCare bill which was passed 219 to 212 with straight party line voting.
Illinois’s Delegates
Illinois’s congressmen voted in favor of repeal by a margin of 11-8. Find your Representative below to see how they voted yesterday.
Biggert, Judy, Illinois, 13th- Aye
Costello, Jerry, Illinois, 12th- Nay
Davis, Danny K., Illinois, 7th- Nay
Dold, Robert, Illinois, 10th- Aye
Gutierrez, Luis, Illinois, 4th- Nay
Hultgren, Randy, Illinois, 14th- Aye
Jackson Jr., Jesse L., Illinois, 2nd- Nay
Johnson, Timothy V., Illinois, 15th- Aye
Kinzinger, Adam, Illinois, 11th- Aye
Lipinski, Daniel, Illinois, 3rd- Nay
Manzullo, Donald, Illinois, 16th- Aye
Quigley, Mike, Illinois, 5th- Nay
Roskam, Peter J., Illinois, 6th- Aye
Rush, Bobby L., Illinois, 1st- Nay
Schakowsky, Jan, Illinois, 9th- Nay
Schilling, Bobby, Illinois, 17th- Aye
Schock, Aaron, Illinois, 18th- Aye
Shimkus, John, Illinois, 19th- Aye
Walsh, Joe, Illinois, 8th- Aye
“We have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it”
Those were then Speaker Pelosi’s words on why they needed to pass the 2,700 page ObamaCare bill before anyone had a chance to read it. Compare that to the two page repeal bill passed yesterday. We know what is in this bill.
Waivers
Leading up to the passage of ObamaCare, many argued the law would drive up employee premiums or cause workers to lose coverage. In order to protect some of the administration’s loyalist supporters the Department of Health and Humans Services began granting waivers to unions and other businesses. As of December 3, 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services had granted 222 waivers to groups including the United Federation of Teachers, A New York Union who’s 351,000 members are now exempt from the Obamacare mandates. The repeal legislation passed yesterday would protect all workers from the rising costs associated with ObamaCare, instead of just those in the good favor of the government.
Yesterday’s legislation is a encouraging first step in the effort to save America’s health care system. Stay tuned for updates on Senate action, reform measures, and ongoing legal challenges.