President to host ObamaCare enrollees as House votes to repeal
The White House is looking to counterprogram a vote by House Republicans to repeal ObamaCare by inviting a group of Americans who have benefitted from the law to meet President Obama.
“Today’s meeting comes as Republicans in the House of Representatives vote to repeal the law and take these benefits away from millions of Americans,” a White House official said.
{mosads}“Congress has tried to repeal or undermine this law more than 50 times, but the President will continue to stand with the families who have better care and choices as a result of the law.”
The House on Tuesday is expected to pass legislation sponsored by Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Ala.) that would completely repeal the president’s signature law, and asks the relevant committees to draft alternative legislation.
Republican leaders, including Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), and Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-Minn.), plan to create a task force to craft replacement legislation.
It will be nearly the 60th time House Republicans have voted to undermine ObamaCare. The bill is not expected to gain traction in the Senate, and the White House has vowed a veto.
The White House meeting also comes with less than two weeks left until the Feb. 15 open enrollment deadline. The administration has said it hoped to enroll 9.1 million people by the deadline, although 9.5 million have already selected a plan or re-enrolled in their current insurance.
The White House has worked hard to highlight those benefiting from the law in recent weeks.
After the State of the Union, Obama granted an interview to YouTube celebrity Hank Green, who said he suffered from a chronic illness but was able to reduce his prescription costs because of ObamaCare. Green went on to ask Obama to sign a picture of his pharmacy receipt.
The president has also sought to encourage enrollment through interviews with radio hosts Ryan Seacrest and Colin Cowherd.