Why House GOP is pushing doomed health-care repeal – again

But key to winning on this issue in November will be Republicans' ability to tie the health-care reform to the economy, a connection perpetually on the lips of the GOP’s leadership in the House.

“There’s a number of different reasons why we should repeal the president’s health-care law. But one, and most importantly, is what it’s doing to jobs. How many small businesspeople are at 48 who will never go to 50 employees?” said Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R) of Texas, the chairman of the Republican House conference, on Tuesday, referring to a cutoff in the law that excludes employers with less than 50 employees from an employer mandate to offer health coverage.

Meanwhile, House Democrats used the day to champion their proposals for job creation, rebuking Republican colleagues for prioritizing health-care reform over the economy.

House Minority whip Steny Hoyer (D) of Maryland touted the Democrat-backed “Make It In America” program alongside a half dozen House colleagues at a press conference Wednesday, saying the plan would rebuild infrastructure, bolster job-skills training, and enforce trade rules more effectively. The two-year-old plan reflects a cross-section of legislation Democrats say will help the American economy by strengthening domestic industries and job growth.

“Our focus ought to be on finding economic solutions that will create jobs now,” Mr. Hoyer said. “It is time to go on offense.”

Jobs weren’t the only place Democrats were on offense – they also hit Republicans for not offering an alternative to the president’s bill.

Rep. Joseph Crowley (D) of New York brought a picture of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup to the House floor, arguing that Republicans’ health-care plans were little more than an incantation to eat your chicken noodle soup. 

“I hold in my left hand the Affordable Care Act,” added Rep. Al Green (D) of Texas, nearly 3,000 pages of the president’s bill hanging therein.

“I hold in my right hand the replacement bill that my colleagues across the aisle have been talking about,” he added, offering an empty hand.

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