Bill is expected to die in the Senate.
The House of Representatives has passed a the “Save American Workers” Act that would change the Affordable Care Act definition of full-time employees to those who work at least 40 hours per week, rather than the 30-hour definition under the existing law, the Post Standard reported.
The bill passed 248 to 179, with only 18 Democrats joining a unanimous block of 230 Republicans to vote in favor of the legislation.
The Affordable Care Act requires employers with 50 or more full-time employees to provide health insurance to their workers or pay fines, but the law’s definition of full-time employees as those working only 30 hours a week, has met with much frustration—especially by fast-food restaurants and other retailers, who say they’d have to cut employee hours to under 30 to keep them at part-time status.
The House vote was at least its 55th attempt to repeal, amend or otherwise change the Affordable Care Act since 2011, the Post-Standard reported.
The bill is expected to die in the Democratic-controlled Senate. If it reaches President Barack Obama, he said he plans to veto the legislation.