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Jan. 20 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump signed an executive order late Friday calling on his government agencies to "ease the burden" of the Affordable Care Act -- his first effort to move along the repeal of former President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law. The order, one of Trump's first official acts, is one the new president has been promising for months.
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"It is the policy of my administration to seek the prompt repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," the order states. "In the meantime ... it is imperative for the executive branch to ensure that the law is being efficiently implemented [and] take all actions consistent with law to minimize the unwarranted economic and regulatory burdens of the act."
Repealing the ACA began in Congress last week as an addendum to a budget bill passed by Republicans, but the executive order was Trump's first effort against the law, known colloquially as Obamacare, as president.
Trump's order also asked federal agencies to "prepare to afford the states more flexibility and control to create a more free and open healthcare market."
Trump spokesman Sean Spicer announced the order to reporters late Friday and said the president will give his first briefing next week.
Earlier Friday, Trump signed other executive orders -- including one to suspend a reduction of mortgage insurance premiums ordered by Obama last week.
Trump also ordered a freeze on all new federal regulations across the board which have not yet been finalized, Spicer said.
