GOP rep. calls health reforms "worst bill" ever, House votes to defund laws

Republicans in the House today approved a series of budget amendments to strip funding for President Obama's new health care reforms -- and they defended their amendments with some harsh rhetoric.

The health reform laws represent the "largest taking of American liberty in the history of this country," Republican Rep. Steve King of Iowa said on the House floor, CBS News Radio Correspondent Bob Fuss reports.

Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), meanwhile, called the health care reform package "the worst bill that's ever been passed in the history of the

Congress."

Gingrey continued, "We can start over, we can make this bill right, we can enact health care reform that truly does bring down the cost for patients."

The House is in the middle of debating hundreds of amendments to the GOP Continuing Resolution (CR) bill -- legislation to fund the federal government through the rest of the fiscal year. If Congress fails to pass some version of a CR, government operations would shut down after March 4, when congressionally-approved funding runs out.

Four amendments were approved this afternoon relating to stripping funding for the health care law. By a vote of 239 to 187, the House passed an amendment from Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg of Montana to prohibit any funds from being used to implement any provision of the new health laws. Then the House passed by a vote of 241 to 187 an amendment from King that also revokes any funding for the new laws.

After that, the House passed by a vote of 237 to 191 an additional amendment from King to prohibit the payment of salaries related to the implementation of the health laws. Additionally, by a vote of 246 to 182, the House passed an amendment from Republican Rep. Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri to prohibit funds from being used for the enforcement of the individual mandate.

After Gingrey and King made their remarks this morning, Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee of Texas took to the House floor to excoriate her Republican colleagues.

"We have to respond to someone who got up and said this is the worst bill that's ever been passed," Lee said forcefully. "What about the slave laws? What about the fugitive slave laws?"

"How dare anyone suggest this is the worst bill when we give opportunity to all Americans?" she continued. "This amendment should be denied, and they should listen to [former Sen. Bill Frist] who said this bill is a good bill. There are Republicans who believe we should provide health care for America."

While Republicans in the House voted overwhelmingly today to strip funding for the new health care laws, this CR bill is unlikely to survive in its current form. President Obama released a warning earlier this week that he would veto the bill as Republicans would like to see it. It's also likely the Senate would approve a more moderate bill before sending it to the president's desk for approval.

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Stephanie Condon

Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.

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