Tomorrow, the House of Representatives will vote on a bill that would repeal most of the Affordable Care Act or “Obamacare.” The legislative package, which passed the Senate last month after being significantly improved by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), would scrap the onerous individual and employer mandates and cut $833 billion in taxes. And here’s the kicker, according to the Congressional Budget Office, it would also reduce spending by $1.3 trillion over ten years. That means the overall fiscal impact would result in a deficit reduction of more than a half-trillion dollars.
Repealing Obamacare and cutting the deficit? This vote is truly a no-brainer for any Member of Congress concerned about improving health care and our nation’s economic outlook.
Of course, even if the House passes the bill as expected, President Obama will veto it to rescue his signature legislative achievement. Still, this presents a rare opportunity for Congress to advance Obamacare repeal further in the legislative process than ever before – and perhaps set the stage for achieving this mission when a new president occupies the White House next year.