NRCC attacks Dems on medical device tax

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is attacking some top House Democrats on the medical device tax, one of the less popular elements of Democrats' healthcare overhauls and one that a number of Democrats have said should be re-examined.

The NRCC put out statements calling for Democrats — including Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel (N.Y.) — to sign on to its petition to stop the "job-killing medical device tax."

The releases target 11 Democrats, most from safe districts: Reps. Wasserman Schultz, Israel, Bruce Braley (Iowa), David Cicilline (R.I.), Jim Himes (Conn.), Ruben Hinojosa (Texas), Mike Michaud (Maine), Nita Lowey (N.Y.), Kurt Schrader (Ore.), Nick Rahall (W.Va.) and John Tierney (Mass.).

The GOP-controlled House passed a bill to repeal the tax last summer with some Democratic support, though most Democrats opposed the ways the GOP wanted to pay for the repeal. Earlier this week, 17 Senate Democrats sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) asking for a delay in implementing the tax, arguing the medical device industry hadn't gotten enough guidance on how to comply with the law.