House GOP rallies Tea Partiers on Hill

A bevy of House Republicans helped kick off Tuesday's Tea Party rally on Capitol Hill.

House GOP lawmakers — but no Republican senators — joined protesters to rally against healthcare reform legislation before Congress.

In the first hour of the rally, seven House GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), who serves as conference chairman, sought to rouse support for killing the healthcare legislation set to move through Congress.

Joining Pence were Republican Study Committee Chairman Tom Price (Ga.) and Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Steve King (R-Iowa) and Louie Gohmert (R-Texas).

The lawmakers spoke to a crowd whose size has not yet been estimated, but whose members carried items ranging from flags to signs calling on lawmakers to "kill the bill." Additionally, some signs expressed "birther" sentiments.

The crowd was set to disperse across Capitol Hill throughout the day on Tuesday to visit lawmakers to urge them to vote against health reform legislation. Democratic leaders have urged members to treat the Tea Partiers hospitably.