The U.S. House voted 244-185 last week to repeal President Barack Obama’s health care law.

Republicans were unanimous in their opposition to the law, and five Democrats voted with them.

But the repeal had no chance to go further since Democrats control the Senate and the president has pledged to veto the repeal bill.

The repeal initiative, coming after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the health care law, was purely symbolic and political. It made a statement.

The effort marked the 33rd vote to repeal the health care law or limit funding for its provisions since Republicans took over leadership of the House last year, USA Today notes.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, explained: “We are resolved to have this law go away, and we’re going to do everything we can to stop it.”

The lines have been drawn for the presidential election. President Obama and Democrats in Congress will fight to maintain and advance the Affordable Care Act. Republican candidate Mitt Romney and congressional Republicans oppose it.

How voters view the sweeping health care legislation will affect their choice for president.

When Mr. Romney repeated his promise to repeal the law in a speech at the NAACP Convention in Houston recently, he was booed. Feelings are strong on both sides.

Yet a recent Pew Research Center poll showed that Americans are not as well informed about the issue as one might expect: 45 percent were not sure what the court ruled on the law.

After all that has passed, completely repealing the law would be difficult.

That will not stop Republicans and those who oppose the law from trying. The issue is key to the November elections and the rhetoric will only become more heated as Election Day draws nigh.

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