This week all eyes have been on the House of Representatives, as the brand new Republican majority got down to business.
The first item on their to do list was to send a powerful message to the American people and vote on legislation to repeal ObamaCare.On January 19, 2011, the House passed H.R. 2, the Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act, by a vote of 245-189.All 242 Republicans voted for the repeal and were joined by three Democrats: Representatives Mike McIntyre (North Carolina), Mike Ross (Arkansas), and Dan Boren (Oklahoma).
This vote declared to the American people, a majority of whom opposed ObamaCare, that the new Congress listened to their concerns and took action.Republican House leaders are now asking the Senate to take up the legislation.House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Virginia) called upon Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) to put his money where his mouth is and allow Senators to vote on a repeal of ObamaCare.
Unfortunately, Senate Democrats are refusing to bring a repeal of ObamaCare to the floor.Therefore, we are asking CWA members to call their senators offices and ask them to allow a vote to take place.The Senate is currently in recess but will be back on January 25, 2011.
Besides the health care repeal fight, more Senate confrontations are expected to arise soon.
Instead of honoring the fact that Republicans now have a majority in the House and more seats in the Senate, Democrats are trying to amend the Standing Rules of the Senate to impede the rights of the minority party and make it easier to pass their agenda.The changes that Democrats are pushing would prevent the minority from being able to effectively engage in legislative debates and have their input heard.This would hamper the traditional role of the Senate as the more deliberative body of Congress.
Action Item:
Please call the U.S. Senate switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be transferred to your senators office.Let them know that the Senate should take a vote on repealing ObamaCare and that the Standing Rules of the Senate should not be changed!