This was a vote on a resolution setting a time limit for debate and prohibiting amendments to legislation repealing a major health care law enacted in 2010 which provided health insurance to 30 million uninsured Americans, prohibited health insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions, and required nearly all Americans to obtain health insurance.

President Obama signed the health care reform measure into law in March 2010 over fierce Republican opposition. No Republicans in the House or Senate voted for the legislation. During the 2010 midterm election campaign – which culminated in the Democrats losing control of the House of Representatives – Republicans vowed to hold a vote on repealing the health care reform law.

Rep. Franciso Canseco (R-TX) urged support for the resolution and the underlying bill repealing health care reform: “Ten months ago, President Obama and his allies in the Democrat-controlled House and Senate committed legislative malpractice when they jammed through the Congress and into law a Washington takeover of health care. They did so despite the overwhelming opposition of the American people. Since its enactment into law, what was already a unpopular law has only continued to become more unpopular. There is no doubt that we need to reform health care in America. However, it is not done by assaulting individual liberties guaranteed in our Constitution, bankrupting our children and grandchildren, and putting Washington bureaucrats in the personal relationships between our doctors and our patients.  Repealing the health care bill will also help encourage job growth to get our economy back on track.”

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) urged opposition to the resolution and the underlying bill: “There is no commitment to the American people here. The only commitment is to the insurance companies. They are the only ones that are going to gain from repeal of this very important legislation, because they want to increase premiums, and they want to institute discriminatory practices again against women, a woman perhaps who has breast cancer and a pre-existing condition and can't get insurance…Let me tell you here, the only one who benefits is the insurance company, not the American people.”

The House agreed to this resolution by a vote of 236-181. All 232 Republicans present and 4 Democrats voted “yea.” 181 Democrats voted nay.” As a result, the House proceeded to formal floor debate on legislation repealing a major health care law that provided health insurance to 30 million uninsured Americans, prohibited health insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions, and required nearly all Americans to obtain health insurance.