House looks to cut another piece of 'ObamaCare' law next week

House Republicans next week will resume their quest to eliminate last year's healthcare law one piece at a time, this time by terminating a grant program that funds school-based health center construction.

The House Rules Committee will meet as early as Monday to approve a rule for H.R. 1214, which would end the grant program established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The program currently allows the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award up to $50 million in grants per year for the construction of health centers in schools.

The grant program began in fiscal 2010, and under PPACA would expire in FY 2013, which means terminating it this year has the potential to save at least $100 million in unspent funds in fiscal 2012 and 2013.

PPACA specifically allows the funds to be used to construct facilities that promote physical and mental health, and it instructs HHS to focus its grants on schools with children who have difficulty accessing health facilities, or areas with a high percentage of uninsured children.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee marked up and approved the bill on April 5.

The Rules Committee indicated that Republicans will consider amendments to the bill, but said these amendments must be submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the end of May 2.

The House next week also plans to take up H.R. 1213, which would eliminate federal funding that helps states set up health insurance exchanges under PPACA. The healthcare law does not specify a funding level for this assistance, and leaves it to the Treasury secretary to determine.

The Rules Committee has said members seeking to offer amendments to this bill must file them with the committee by 10 a.m. on May 2.

— This post was updated at 10:18 a.m.