Floor debate is scheduled to begin Tuesday in the House of Representatives on a repeal of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul bill.

The start of the process fulfills a campaign promise of congressional Republicans, but also sets up a clash with the White House and Senate Democrats.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has scheduled floor debate for Tuesday and a vote on the measure for Wednesday.

The measure is expected to pass the Republican-led House, but is believed to have little chance of clearing the Democratic-controlled Senate or surviving a presidential veto.

Republicans have acknowledged the virtual impossibility of an outright repeal, but have indicated there will likely be attempts to defund portions of the measure or eliminate specific provisions in the months ahead.

The new GOP majority, in keeping with its “repeal and replace” mantra, will instruct various House committees to craft alternatives to the law.

“Repealing the job crushing health care law is critical to boosting small business job creation and growing the economy,” Boehner wrote online Monday.

The health care repeal vote had initially been scheduled for last week, but GOP leaders postponed it after the January 8 shootings in Arizona that killed six people and wounded 13, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona.

A couple of key Democrats said Sunday they were prepared to cooperate in the elimination of certain measures considered excessively burdensome to businesses.

Leading members of both parties have expressed concern over a rule, scheduled to take effect in 2012, requiring businesses to issue 1099 tax forms to any individual or corporation from which they purchase over $600 in goods or services in a year.

Republicans continue to insist that the health care overhaul — Obama’s signature domestic accomplishment — will hamper economic growth while doing little to control skyrocketing medical costs.

Democrats have noted, among other things, the increased number of Americans covered by the law. They’ve also seized on a recent analysis from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office noting that a repeal of the overhaul would add $230 billion to the federal debt by 2021.

Democrats argue the analysis undermines Republicans’ emphasis on fiscal responsibility.

GOP leaders, in turn, insist the analysis was based on unrealistic economic and fiscal assumptions originally provided by Democrats.

Nonetheless, Republicans have exempted a repeal of the health care law from new rules prohibiting legislation from adding to the federal debt.

(Source: CNN)