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Bill Huizenga, Justin Amash part of U.S. House Republicans' symbolic repeal of 'ObamaCare'
MLive
Nate Reens
Wednesday, July 11, 2012, 10:26 PM

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – U.S. Reps. Bill Huizenga and Justin Amash, on the day the Supreme Court ruled the Affordable Care Act was constitutional, pledged to vote to repeal the healthcare law at the first opportunity.

That came Wednesday as each of the Republicans, Huizenga, of Zeeland, and Amash, of Cascade Township, followed through on their word in a 244-185 vote that has little meaning since the Democrat-controlled Senate will not take up the legislation.
Five Democrats crossed party lines to join the West Michigan delegation on the 33rd official vote to repeal, defund or reduce programs that are part of the law Republicans derisively call “ObamaCare.”

The Wednesday vote was the second for full repeal. The first occurred shortly after Republicans took control of the House in January 2011.

“ObamaCare isn't the solution; it’s a major part of the problem,” Huizenga said. “The President's health care law has broken numerous promises including: controlling costs, reducing the deficit and not raising taxes on the middle class.

“I believe a better way forward would be to implement a bipartisan step-by-step approach that puts the patients and their doctors, not Washington, in charge of their health decisions. That is why I voted to repeal President Obama's 'signature' piece of legislation.”

Republicans acknowledged that the repeal had no opportunity of success, but said it shows the will of the people.

Democrats cried foul, saying the move is the exact type of political gamesmanship that Americans despise about Congress. U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius says a repeal of the Affordable Care Act would have serious consequences for Michigan residents.

It's unfortunate that the Republican leadership has chosen to set jobs aside -- not just this week, but essentially every week that they've been in charge ... to spend time on partisan messaging only," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi told the Associated Press on Wednesday. "Politics be damned."