Despite a third vote to repeal Obama care, the White House insists the law is here to stay. Spokesman Jay Carney says House Republicans are wasting their time in a losing effort.
"We do not need to refight the battles of two years ago and three years ago," Carney told reporters Wednesday. "This demonstrates exactly what people out in the country loathe about Washington."
Five House Democrats joined Republicans in repealing president's massive health care overhaul, but even Texas Congressman Ted Poe admits they'll have a tough time selling it to the Democratic-led Senate.
"The Senate has a habit of not voting on controversial bills because Harry Reid wants to give cover to Democrats in tough re-election races this November, so I don't know what they will do," the Humble Republican told KTRH News.
Poe says either way, the House wanted to send a strong message of its dislike for the law which the Supreme Court recently upheld as a tax.
Democrats accuse Republicans of election-year theatrics.
"In our district, we have one of the highest rates in the country of people who work, but don't have insurance through their employer," Democrat Gene Green told Houston's Morning News Thursday. "So I was a big supporter, and continue to support the Affordable Care Act because of the benefits in our districts."
Congressman Michael Burgess offered his own expertise on health care reform, but says the Obama administration ignored it.
"Our committee exposed all the secret deals that went on, literally three years ago this month, which led to the formation and the writing of this legislation behind closed doors," said Dr. Burgess from the House floor. "The very doors the president said when he was running would remain open."
