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Sens. Brown, Kerry Split On Health Care Repeal

BOSTON (AP) -- U.S. Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown are taking opposites sides in the fight over whether to repeal the national health care overhaul law backed by President Barack Obama.

When a Republican-led drive to end the law came up for a vote in the Senate on Wednesday, Kerry, a Democrat, voted to keep the law while Brown, a Republican, voted to repeal it.

The final, party-line vote, was 47-51 against repeal.

Kerry said repealing the law would take away insurance from 32 million Americans, increase taxes on small businesses, and add to the deficit.

Brown campaigned against the overhaul last year.

The Republican-led House last month voted to back a repeal, also largely on partisan lines.

The fate of the law could now end up in the hands of the Supreme Court.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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