This was a vote on tabling (killing) a resolution offered by Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) "disapproving" of the manner in which Democratic leaders planned to bring up and vote on health care reform legislation. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) made a motion to table the resolution.

Republicans had repeatedly criticized the process by which the Democratic leadership chose to debate and vote on health care reform legislation. Under this process, the House would have voted on a resolution setting the terms for floor debate on a bill making changes to the Senate-passed health care measure. When the House passed that resolution, the Senate health care bill would have been "deemed passed" by the House. The House would have then voted on the bill making the changes to the Senate health care reform legislation.

The resolution that Hoyer moved to table referenced a story in McClatchy Newspapers reporting that "Representative John Larson, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, stated, 'Many of our members would prefer not to have voted for the Senate bill.'" The resolution then states that the House "disapproves of the malfeasant manner in which the Democratic Leadership has thereby discharged the duties of their offices."

There was no debate on the resolution, but Republicans had charged that the  procedure chosen by Democratic leaders was undemocratic, although both parties have used the tactic to pass major legislation.

The House voted to table the resolution relating to health care reform legislation by a vote of 232-181. 232 Democrats voted "yea," All 171 Republicans present and 10 Democrats voted "nay." As a result, the House tabled (killed) a resolution requiring the House to take a separate vote on the Senate-passed health care reform bill.