US House clears way for lawsuit against Obama

The US House on Wednesday approved a lawsuit against President Barack Obama over alleged abuse of executive power.

The 225-201 vote fell along party lines, with five Republicans voting against the measure while no Democrats supported it, Xinhua reported.

Last Thursday, the House Rules Committee approved at 7-4 vote a resolution allowing the full House to vote on authorizing the lawsuit against Obama, accusing him of abusing executive authority.

The lawsuit, dismissed by Obama and congressional Democrats as little more than election-year political theater, has further deepened the dispute between House Republicans and the Federal Government.

Republicans say they are simply holding the president accountable for circumventing Congress on a major policy change related to the implementation of Obama's healthcare reform bill.

A prime example of this, according to Republicans, was Obama's decision to delay provisions of the health care law that require most employers to provide insurance coverage for workers.

Republicans were enraged when the Obama administration announced that the provision would be delayed until 2015 — after the midterm elections this fall.

Last Thursday, the House Rules Committee approved at 7-4 vote a resolution allowing the full House to vote on authorising the lawsuit against Obama, accusing him of abusing executive authority.