House approves bill repealing Obamacare -- again

WASHINGTON, May 17 (UPI) -- The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of repealing President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act for the 37th time.

The House approved a bill proposed by Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., Thursday that would repeal the Affordable Care Act in a 229-195 vote, The Hill reported.

The vote followed a two-hour debate in which Republicans argued Obamacare needs to be repealed now because of a scandal involving the Internal Revenue Service targeting conservative advocacy groups.

"In light of the recent revelations that have just come out within this last week regarding the outrageous activities of the Internal Revenue Service pointed against the people of the United States, every American should be concerned about the negative consequences of this bill, Obamacare," Bachmann said. "The Supreme Court has ruled that Obamacare is in fact a tax. Knowing that it's a tax, the logical conclusion is that the entity in the United States tasked with enforcing tax policy is the IRS."

Meanwhile, Democrats accused the Republicans of wasting the House's time.

"Apparently the Republicans are opposed to Obamacare," Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said. "I know that comes as a shock to America, so we need to tell them one more time, or 37 times, or maybe a 38th or a 39th or a 40th or a 100th time."

Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., said Republicans are wasting taxpayer money by proposing votes on bills that will likely go nowhere, as Democrats have control of the Senate.

"Quit wasting the taxpayers money and the Congress' time. You should be ashamed of yourselves," Doyle said.

This was the 37th time House Republicans have voted to repeal or de-fund all or part of Obamacare, NBC News reported.