House Approves Long-Term Budget Plan that Would Repeal and De-Fund the Affordable Care Act

A day after Congress passed a spending bill that will fund the federal government through September 2011, the House of Representatives approved by a 235-193 margin a budget plan (H. Con. Res. 34) for Fiscal Year 2012 that also sets forth appropriate budgetary levels for the next decade.

Among other things, this budget would effectively repeal and de-fund the health care reform law. Specifically, the measure would authorize the Budget Committee Chairman to “revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.” In addition, the proposal, offered by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), would give block grants to states to run Medicaid and establish a voucher system for Medicare.

The Senate – which has already adjourned for a two-week recess – is not expected to approve this budget. The President, meanwhile, has offered a competing budget plan. Given the divergent views on where and how federal spending cuts must be made, it is likely that another budget showdown will occur before the September 30, 2011 deadline. 

Photo credit: MBPHOTO, INC.