Losing Traction? Latino Support for Affordable Care Act Remains High but Shows Some Signs of Faltering

The federal health care reform debates captured the nation’s attention during President Obama’s first year in office. Despite tremendous  financial and political obstacles, on March 23, 2010 President Obama and the democratically controlled Congress passed the Affordable Care Act, legislation that will expand access to health coverage within the U.S. health care system. President Obama and fellow Democrats did not have much time to celebrate their historic policy victory however, as Republican candidates rode a wave of voter frustration with the economy and the federal government itself to take control of the house in the 2010 election. The newly installed Republican- majority House of Representatives made the Affordable Care Act their primary target, wasting little time before passing a symbolic repeal of President Obama’s signature domestic policy. Although Republican efforts to repeal this law were stalled quickly in the democratically controlled Senate, this set the stage for a more long-term policy battle over the future of our nation’s health care policy.