Democrat Nick Rahall (W-Va.) on Wednesday became the first lawmaker who voted in favor of ObamaCare to back a bill repealing the law’s new insurance tax.
Rahall signed on to the bipartisan repeal bill on Tuesday, becoming its 226th co-sponsor, according to public records.
He is the sole Democrat in West Virginia’s House delegation and has been targeted by the National Republican Congressional Committee ahead of the 2014 midterm elections.
The repeal measure would kill the Affordable Care Act’s tax on health insurance plans. As of Wednesday, its cosponsors consisted of 219 Republicans and seven Democrats.
Insurers and small businesses argue the fee will raise premiums. It is expected to raise about $100 billion over 10 years to help fund ObamaCare’s implementation.
Repeal supporters held a press conference Wednesday where they argued the tax will cut jobs.
“We need to end this assault on small businesses and relieve them from this job crushing law by repealing this health insurance tax and ObamaCare in its entirety,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).