Health-Care Reform Repeal Petition Garners Few Signatures

Although scores of lawmakers vowed to repeal health-care reform legislation, only a handful of House Republicans actually signed the discharge petition calling for such a repeal.

The discharge petition must be signed by 218 members of Congress in order to force the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to put the matter up for a vote. But the discharge petition introduced by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) on June 16th has garnered only 30 Republican signatures so far, as lawmakers consider November elections.

Last month the Heritage Foundation launched a new 501(c)(4) group, Heritage Action for America, to run advocacy campaigns that they can't run as a 501(c)(3) organization: The group, which aims to rally Heritage Foundation supporters around the country, is making Rep. King's discharge petition its first item for action. The group claims it will encourage more signatures by engaging in political grassroots advocacy and targeting members of Congress in their home districts with paid political advertisements, local grassroots activity, online activist tools and earned media.

"I fully expect more members to sign the discharge petition as the pressure for repeal continues to build," said Heritage Action CEO Michael A. Needham.

Here's the list of lawmakers who have signed the discharge petition so far:

Jo Bonner (R-Ala.)
John Boozman (R-Ark.)
Trent Franks (R-Ariz.)
Gary G. Miller (R-Calif.)
Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.)
Connie Mack (R-Fla.)
Paul C. Broun (R-Ga.)
Tom Graves (R-Ga.)
Tom Price (R-Ga.)
Lynn A. Westmoreland (R-Ga.)
Judy Biggert (R-Ill.)
Steve King (R-Ia.)
Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)
Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.)
Dan Burton (R-Ind.)
Mike Pence (R-Ind.)
Michele Bachmann (R-Mn.)
Tom Cole (R-Okla.)
Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)
Robert E. Latta (R-Ohio)
Joseph R. Pitts (R-Pa.)
Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.)
Rob Bishop (R-Utah)
Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah)
Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
K. Michael Conaway (R-Texas)
Louie Gohmert (R-Texas)
Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas)
Kenny Marchant (R-Texas)
Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.)

UPDATED JUNE 29, 2010

Dan Holler communications director of Heritage Action for America told HuffPost:

"Currently, 52 members of Congress have signed Discharge Petition #11. The fact that another 22 Members signed on today demonstrates this effort is gaining momentum quickly and we fully expect that every Member of Congress who is opposed to Obamacare will ultimately sign the discharge petition."

Below are the lawmakers who signed on today:

Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.)
Mike Rogers (R-Ala.)
John Campbell (R-Calif.)
Tom McClintock (R-Calif.)
Mike Coffman (R-Colo.)
Bill Posey (R-Fla.)
C. W. Bill Young (R-Fla.)
John Linder (R-Ga.)
Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.)
Charles Djou (R-Hawaii)
Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.)
Steve Scalise (R-La.)
Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.)
Candice Miller (R-Mich.)
Howard Coble (R-N.C.)
Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.)
Pete Sessions (R-Texas)
J. Gresham Barrett (R-S.C.)
Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas)
Kevin Brady (R-Texas)
Pete Olson (R-Texas)
F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-Wis.)

Comments

[Hard2kill]

09:20 PM on 07/30/2010

Shame on republicans...

[winchestereast]

04:51 PM on 06/29/2010

Why bother to repeal? The bill offers no public option, no expansion of Medicare, no competition to the Private Insurance - we'll still have a $105,000,000 a year CEO run system that funnels $ to Legislators who enable them to continue their monopoly and manipulation of our health care system - and now we all have to participate!!! - United HealthCare et al can raise executive pay, cut physician pay, and raise your premiums (after low-balling to get a huge state-wide contract) if they want to - without Public Option it's not reform

[Treima]

04:44 PM on 06/29/2010

Can't question their hesitancy to repeal a law that is quickly gaining understanding and acceptance among skeptics.

[winchestereast]

04:56 PM on 06/29/2010

understanding? do you understand that the Medical Loss Ratio will be manipulated by Insurers claiming as 'medical expense' the reams of error-filled paper work they foist on physicians in the name of 'case-management' ? that paper pushers who make no contribution to science or care will continue to siphon off most premium dollars? that brokers will take another needless cut of premium dollars? we gained a few protections, some easily dodged regulations, not much else - the GOP and the ignorant Tea Party Movement won this one hands down

[optimist7]

05:14 PM on 06/29/2010

Won't the "85% of premium most go to patient care" requirement force insurers to diminish their administrative pyramids and cut back on some of the paper pushers?

The GOP did win a considerable amount, but if Democrats are able to survive November, in lieu of repeal, amendments to improve the bill can be added. A major battle has been won, and perhaps the healthcare war with insurers can be won in time.