House votes down ObamaCare’s 30-hour workweek

House votes down ObamaCare’s 30-hour workweek-thehill: On a 252-172 vote Thursday, members approved legislation that would redefine full-time employment under the health care law to include a minimum of 40 working hours per week, rather than the 30 hours cited in the ACA.

All Eyes on Newsom, Harris for Boxer Seat

All Eyes on Newsom, Harris for Boxer Seat-politico: Barbara Boxer’s retirement sets the stage for a dramatic and long-awaited transformation of California’s political landscape and a 2016 Senate race that seems destined to evolve into a big-spending free-for-all, pitting many of the state’s most ambitious lawmakers against each other. The announcement set off an immediate burst of speculation about possible candidates, a list that included such bold-faced names as former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and billionaire hedge-fund manager and environmental activist Tom Steyer. But most of the attention turned to Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Kamala Harris, two of the Democratic Party’s premier up-and-coming figures who have long been seen as candidates for higher office.

Bill to repeal medical device tax introduced

Bill to repeal medical device tax introduced-politicopro: Lawmakers took the first stab in the new Congress to repeal a tax on medical devices on Wednesday — but the bill has a ways to go before it becomes the latest casualty in the Affordable Care Act. The proposal revived by Reps. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) and Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) would repeal the tax and refund tax payments device manufacturers made since it took effect in January 2013. The bill has more than 250 sponsors from both parties in the House and support in the Senate but no set path to a vote in either chamber.

Workweek bill is first GOP Senate test on Obamacare

Workweek bill is first GOP Senate test on Obamacare-politicopro: The House will vote again on Thursday to lengthen Obamacare’s full-time workweek definition to 40 hours, but the Senate has work to do before it can hope to get its first anti-Obamacare bill to the president’s desk.

Has the medical device tax eliminated ‘thousands’ of jobs?

Fact-Checker: Has the medical device tax eliminated ‘thousands’ of jobs?-washpost: The push to repeal the medical device tax already has bipartisan support, and it is expected to be one of the first issues taken up by Congress this year. The repeal of the 2.3 percent excise tax, imposed under the Affordable Care Act, is one of the priorities of the Republican-led Congress as lawmakers aim to chip away at parts of the health-care law.

Ceremonies, Reflection and Chaos Define the First Day of Congress

Ceremonies, Reflection and Chaos Define the First Day of Congress-rollcall: For new members of the 114th Congress, their first day was a blur — and not just because the view of the Capitol was obscured by falling snow. New members juggled ceremonies, open houses in their offices and receptions, not to mention taking their oaths of office as they navigated the labyrinth halls of the Capitol Tuesday.

Boehner and House GOP Regroup After Tumultuous Speaker Election

Boehner and House GOP Regroup After Tumultuous Speaker Election-rollcall: After the election of John A. Boehner to a third term as speaker Tuesday, House Republicans start the 114th Congress in a similar fashion to the 113th: Conservatives are unhappy with leadership and leadership’s not too pleased with some conservatives.