House votes to delay health law's mandates

Despite White House veto threats, House lawmakers on Wednesday OK'd two separate bills amending portions of the Affordable Care Act, the latest GOP moves to try to scuttle the health law. A measure putting off the employer mandate was approved 264-161 while a bill delaying the individual mandate passed 251-174.

The New York Times: House Votes To Delay Two Requirements Of The Health Care Overhaul
Defying a veto threat from President Obama, the House on Wednesday passed bills delaying two crucial parts of his health care overhaul that require most Americans to have insurance and many employers to offer it (Pear, 7/17).

The Washington Post: House Votes On Two Bills To Delay Parts Of Obamacare
The Republican-controlled House yet again passed legislation Wednesday that aims to change the Affordable Care Act. This time Republicans called for one-year delays on two key provisions, one requiring nearly all Americans to buy health insurance and the other requiring businesses with more than 50 full-time employees to provide coverage. The Obama administration has already delayed the requirement for businesses. President Obama plans to veto the House's legislation, and Senate leaders have no plans to take similar action (Johnson, 7/17).

The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire: House Votes To Delay Health-Law Mandates
House lawmakers on Wednesday voted to approve two separate bills amending portions of the Affordable Care Act, the latest moves by the GOP to try to throw up hurdles to the Obama health law. The first bill would codify the year-long delay to the obligation on companies to provide health care coverage to their workers from next year. The second would delay a similar obligation on individuals to purchase health-care insurance (Boles, 7/17).

The Associated Press/Washington Post: Republican-Led House Votes To Delay Core Requirements Of Obama's Health Care Law
The dual political-show votes marked the 38th time the GOP majority has tried to eliminate, defund or scale back the unpopular law since Republicans took control of the House in January 2011. The House legislation stands no chance in the Democratic-run Senate (7/17).

Politico: House Votes Put Harsh Spotlight On Obamacare Delays
House Republicans have passed anti-Obamacare legislation dozens of times and for dozens of reasons. On Wednesday, it was to make Democrats and the Obama administration squirm. In the first votes since the administration postponed the health law's employer coverage requirements for a year, the House passed a bill authorizing the delay -; and then followed it up immediately with a vote to give the same delay to the individual mandate (Cunningham and Cheney, 7/18).

The Hill: House Defies Veto Threat, Votes To Delay Obamacare Mandates
The House voted Wednesday to delay the Obamacare employer mandate, defying a White House veto threat and winning over dozens of Democrats. Republicans also approved a bill delaying the mandate that individuals purchase health insurance by 2014 (Kasperowicz, 7/17).

Fox News: House Votes To Delay Obamacare Mandates
The House voted Wednesday to delay key components of Obamacare, in a bid by emboldened Republicans to chip away at the law after the administration acknowledged new problems with its implementation. Republican leaders swiftly organized the votes after the administration, in early July, said it would delay until 2015 a requirement that businesses with 50 or more workers provide insurance coverage or pay a penalty. The House voted 264-161 for a measure that would do exactly that. But they also voted 251-174 for a measure that would delay the individual mandate -- the requirement on individuals to buy health insurance -- for a year as well (7/18).

CNN: House Passes Two Bills To Delay Key Obamacare Requirements
The House of Representatives passed two bills Wednesday postponing two key provisions of Obamacare, marking nearly 40 times that the Republican-controlled House has attempted to repeal or roll back parts of the president's signature first term accomplishment. One measure, which passed 264-161, delayed for one year the requirement that employers provide health insurance, something the Obama administration already announced it was doing earlier this month. Thirty-five Democrats joined Republicans on the vote (Walsh, 7/17).