"Republican-Led House Votes To Repeal Health Law"

MELISSA BLOCK, Host:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Melissa Block.

ROBERT SIEGEL, Host:

First, NPR's Andrea Seabrook, who followed the vote and the debate that preceded it. She told us earlier that there were some differences in this debate from the original debates over passing the health care law.

ANDREA SEABROOK: So you see these things are moving - the debates are moving forward, but, you know, the biggest difference between 2009, 2010, when we were debating this, is that now the Republicans are in charge of the House. And that changes the game completely, and, of course, it's why were talking about repealing health care at all.

BLOCK: Right. And, Andrea, any difference in tone? Of course, there's been a lot of calls for increased civility in Washington, especially given the Tucson shooting where Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was injured. Do you hear any difference in the tone or the tenor of the debate?

SEABROOK: Let me give you a couple of examples. Listen to this piece of tape from the debate. It's Michele Bachmann, Minnesota Republican, a darling of the Tea Party, talking about the health care law.

SIEGEL: Obamacare, as we know, is the crown jewel of socialism. It is socialized medicine. The American people spoke soundly and clearly at the ballot box in November. And they said to us, Mr. Speaker, in no uncertain terms, repeal this bill.

SEABROOK: You know, at another time, Melissa, you might hear Michele Bachmann say that with much more force.

BLOCK: Hmm.

SEABROOK: And so I think there is a difference in the tenor of the debate. On the other hand...

BLOCK: Or the volume maybe.

SEABROOK: So listen to Richard Neal here, of Massachusetts.

SIEGEL: Obamacare, government takeover, socialism, and the best one of all, death panels. People wonder why the language here is so charged, why it's so incendiary; it's because of the lexicon it has chosen for the purpose of scaring the American people.

SEABROOK: So, I guess, if you were expecting a complete change in debate, you'd be disappointed, but there is some change. There's some difference than there was before, I guess.

BLOCK: Now, Andrea, as we mentioned, the Senate is not likely to even take up this bill. We're going to hear more about that in just a second from your colleague, David Welna. What is the House Republicans' plan B, given that scenario?

SEABROOK: They would like to dismantle this, stop it. They find it to be their mandate to come in here and shut it down with any means they have, including cutting off budgets for every single part of the law.

BLOCK: Andrea, thanks a lot.

SEABROOK: My pleasure.