Four Dems vote to move healthcare repeal to House floor

Just four House Democrats voted “yes” Friday on a procedural vote to move ahead with consideration of a measure to repeal the healthcare law. 

Democratic Reps. Dan Boren (Okla.), Larry Kissell (N.C.), Mike McIntyre (N.C.) and Mike Ross (Ark.) all voted in favor of the rule governing debate on the bill. Of the four, Kissell is the only one who has said he will not vote “yes” on repeal.

Kissell told The Hill earlier this week that although he was glad the new GOP majority was bringing the measure to the floor, he did not intend to vote in favor of it next week. 

“Get it on the floor, let everybody vote, and then let’s focus on the economy and get people back to work, because that’s what the American people want us to do,” Kissell said Wednesday. 

Boren and Ross have said they are “yes” votes on repeal next week. McIntyre is also a likely “yes” vote, having previously expressed his support for a full repeal of the law. 

Another seven Democrats who voted against healthcare have come out against repeal — all seven voted against bringing the repeal measure to the floor Friday, as did Reps. John Barrow (D-Ga.) and Ben Chandler (D-Ky.), an indication they, too, will vote against a full repeal next week. 

Seven other Dems voted “no” Friday: Reps. Jason Altmire (Pa.), Tim Holden (Pa.), Stephen Lynch (Mass.), Collin Peterson (Minn.), Heath Shuler (N.C.), Jim Matheson (Utah) and Dan Lipinski (Ill.). 

The National Republican Congressional Committee has already taken aim at Dems who have come against repeal. The committee targeted Matheson on Friday, slamming him for “standing by job-killing healthcare law” in a press release.