Although health repeal effort is currently quiet, GOP expected to renew push next week

Jan 13 2011

News outlets offer analysis and viewpoints regarding how the events in Arizona may have altered the character of the House health law debate. Even with this different climate, GOP leaders have made it clear that the chamber will soon get back to work and the Republican repeal effort will continue.

Politico: Tragedy May Soften Health Debate
When the House returns to the debate over repealing health care reform, the rhetoric most likely will be softer — but the lines of division are expected to be as hard as ever. The House is expected to return to Washington next week to a more subdued debate on repealing the health care reform law than it probably would have had a few weeks ago (Budoff Brown and Haberkorn, 1/12).

The New York Times: For Boehner, Rampage Imposes Own Agenda
Before the attack, the highest priority of House Republicans was their drive to repeal the health care overhaul passed last year. The repeal effort had led to some of the divisive discourse that is now under scrutiny. After news of the shootings reached Washington, Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, the majority leader, quickly moved to postpone a vote on overturning the health care law, which had been scheduled for Wednesday. Mr. Boehner made it clear on Tuesday that Congress would soon get back to work (Hulse, 1/11).

CQ: Effort To Repeal Health Care Law Expected to Regain Steam Next Week
[Maine Democrat Chellie] Pingree, a friend of critically wounded Arizona Democrat Gabrielle Giffords, urged the GOP to change the name of its repeal bill, officially titled the "Repeal the Job-Killing Health Care Act." She said it would be a symbolic gesture that would signal a more civil tone in Congress in the wake of the violence (Ethrige, 1/11).