Cantor: Health care repeal vote coming July 11
(CBS News) The Supreme Court gave some validation to the Affordable Care Act on Thursday when it declared the law constitutional, but House Majority Leader Eric Cantor is ready to move forward with yet another House vote to repeal the controversial law.
"We know that most of the American people don't like this law," Cantor said on CBS' This Morning Friday. The House, he said will "look towards the kind of health care people want," which he said is "patient-centered."
Cantor said that the Republican-led House will take up a repeal vote on July 11th, after Congress comes back from its July 4th recess. The House first voted to repeal the law in January 2011, soon after Republicans took control. The move, however, was essentially symbolic.
The Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell also said Thursday that Congress should repeal the law, but Democrats have control of the Senate.
Democrats, for their part, have told Republicans to move on. "Our Supreme Court has spoken. The matter is settled," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said on the Senate floor Thursday. "It's time for Republicans to stop fighting yesterday's battles."
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Cantor said that the continued debate over the health care law is "all about this election and whether this law is going to go forward or not... Mitt Romney will be the one that will, frankly, get the health care that most people want back on track."
The most controversial aspect of the health care law is the individual mandate, which requires all Americans who can afford it to get health insurance. Mitt Romney says he opposes it on the federal level, even though he implemented a mandate in the state of Massachusetts as governor.
When asked whether he could ever support a mandate, Cantor specifically referred in his response to a "Washington" mandate.
"I did not support Washington requiring someone to purchase health care and then telling someone what kind of health care coverage that's going to be, which is exactly what this Obamacare bill is," he said.
Cantor noted that the court upheld the mandate on the basis that it amounts to a tax -- even though Democrats during the health care debate promised not to raise taxes on anyone. "They also said you'll be able to keep the health care you like under our program, which we know is not the case as well," he said.