US House of Representatives Pass Legislation Amending Obamacare Thursday Jan 08,2015

The House of Representatives passed legislation on a vote of 252-172 on Thursday Jan 08,2015 amending Obamacare to increase the number of hours workers must be on the clock for each week in order to qualify for health coverage through their employers.

The bill succeeded in the House with a dozen Democrats crossing party lines to vote for the health care reform legislation.

If turned into law, the measure would redefine full-time employees that are eligible for health care coverage through their work places as those that are on the schedule for 40 hours a week, up from the current 30. 

The intent of the original rule was to broaden the number of Americans who are covered by their employers' health plans.

 Republicans argue that in effect the Obamacare provision has led businesses to cut back the number of hours it assigns to part-time workers in order to avoid the health care mandate.

President Barack Obama has already warned that he won't sign the bill and not enough Members of Congress voted in favor of the proposed law to override the country's chief executive.

The measure faces a rocky road in the Senate, as well, where Republicans also hold a slim, but not veto-proof, majority. At least 10 Democratic senators have already voiced strong opposition to the legislation.