Members of the Senate voted along party lines and rejected Republican-led efforts to repeal the health care reform legislation signed by President Obama last spring. The legislation, which will expand health care coverage to 30 million Americans and help reduce the federal budget, has been a rallying cry for conservatives who claim it expands the size of government. A repeal effort passed the House, with its new Republican majority; in the Senate, the vote was 47-51, 13 shy of the 60 needed to move the effort forward. Sen. Mark Kirk sided with the GOP minority in voting for repeal.

One provision of the health care bill, however, was repealed. A tax provision that would impact small businesses was rolled back by a vote of 81-17. The provision requires businesses to file tax forms for any employee paid over $600 in goods or merchandise. The House is expected to pass the provision's repeal.