As expected, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on Jan. 19 to repeal President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. Powered by its new Republican majority, the House voted 245-189 to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

All 242 Republicans in the U.S. House, along with three Democrats, voted in favor of repeal. Among those Republicans were N.H. Reps. Frank Guinta and Charlie Bass, both of whom unseated Democrats in last November’s election.

The repeal is unlikely to be successful, as Democrats retain a majority in the U.S. Senate and Obama has said he would veto a repeal. But the vote serves as a symbolic victory for Republicans, who wasted no time in attacking Obama’s top accomplishment.

Critics contend the health care overhaul will kill jobs, increase the deficit and expand government. All three contentions are debatable, with economists disagreeing on whether the law would actually have an impact on employment. The Republicans’ argument took a hit recently when the Congressional Budget Office reported that repealing the law would likely increase the deficit, as it includes taxes and spending cuts. 

Noting that Republicans did not offer an alternative health plan, N.H. Democratic Party chair Raymond Buckley called the vote a “dangerous and irresponsible political stunt” and accused Guinta and Bass of “turning their backs on New Hampshire families.” He pointed out that a recent ABC News poll found that less than 20 percent of Americans favor a full repeal of the law. 

The N.H. GOP did not issue a statement on the vote.