Obamacare delays

Shortly after midnight, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to repeal Obamacare’s tax on medical devices and delay the unpopular law’s implementation by one year.

The two amendments to the Senate-passed continuing resolution would fund the federal government through December 15. The measure returns to the Senate, with the fate of a government shutdown now resting with President Obama and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). In the event of a shutdown, the House approved a separate bill that would pay the U.S. military.

Heritage Action for America called Representative Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN) amendment for a one-year delay “a step towards preventing the law’s entitlements from taking root,” while noting that it does fall short of defunding Obamacare.

The other amendment, introduced by Representative Erik Paulsen (R-MN), is more troublesome, according to Heritage Action. It warned:

The Paulsen Amendment, which would permanently repeal the Medical Device Tax, does nothing to prevent the law’s entitlements from taking root and continues funding Obamacare in its entirety. Like the rest of Obamacare, the tax is bad policy; however, repealing the tax will do little to exempt Americans from the impact of Obamacare. …

While passage of H.J.Res.59 would prevent Obamacare’s mandatory programs from coming online this Tuesday, it has failed to fully defund the law. There is, however, a likely threat that Sen. Harry Reid will block the Blackburn Amendment and return the CR with nothing but the Medical Device Tax repeal.

Defunding Obamacare remains the best way to stop this law from harming individual citizens, our country’s health care system and our economy.

With this action from the House, it is now up to Obama and Reid to decide if they will force this unfair, unworkable, and unaffordable law on the American people — against the wishes of an increasing majority.