Local Reps. Woodall and Johnson Split on Repeal of Health Care Law

Congressman Rob Woodall (R, Lawrenceville) joined 241 other Republicans and three Democrats in voting for the repeal of the health-care law Wednesday evening .

Congressman Hank Johnson (D, Lithonia) voted against the repeal, citing job creation and the wishes of his constituents as reasons. "I am not in favor of taking health-care benefits and security away from hard-working Americans," he said in a statement on his website. 

Shortly after the Jan. 19 vote, Woodall posted the following message on his Facebook page: “I just cast my vote to repeal ObamaCare. Yes, it felt good. Promises made...promises kept. Thank you for all of your support!”

Woodall joined the majority of the House in voting for H.R. 2, a bill repealing the 2009 health care bill.  The bill, titled "Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act," passed by a 245-189 margin. It is expected to meet opposition in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

“There are a lot of tough decisions to be made in the 112th Congress,” Woodall, who represents Congressional District 7, said in an issued statement.  “For me, repealing the egregious Obama health care bill will not be one of them.”

In his statement against the repeal, Johnson, who represents District 4, told the story of Lisa Ryan, one of his constituents who suffers from Lupus and was given immediate access to health care through the 2010 health care act. "If that benefit were suddenly taken from her, she would be in real trouble with managing her disease," said Johnson. 

"It’s not an exaggeration to say that health care reform saved her life," he added in his statement. 

Woodall said the goal of health care reform should be to empower patients and families to make their own health care decisions.

“Decisions like which doctor you see and which benefits are in the insurance plan you purchase should be made by individual Americans—not bureaucrats in Washington,” he said. 

Woodall said his constituents in his district – which includes all of Barrow and Walton counties and most of Gwinnett County, including portions of Lilburn – spoke out against “the overreaching and overspending in ObamaCare” during the  November elections. 

Johnson's district encompasses parts of DeKalb, Rockdale and Gwinnett counties, including parts Duluth, Lawrenceville, Lilburn and Norcross. 

Johnson said that health insurance companies discriminate by denying coverage to many people in his area. "I am not going back and neither are the American people,” he said.