A Republican-run House committee has voted to repeal a 2.3 percent tax on many medical devices that helps pay for President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.

The Ways and Means Committee’s mostly party-line 25-14 vote came with Republicans complaining that the levy costs jobs and stifles innovation. Democrats say those claims are exaggerations and opposed the bill as a GOP attempt to whittle away at the health care law.

Democrats also complained that Republicans have not offered any savings to cover the measure’s $24.4 billion, 10-year cost.

Seven Democrats joined Republicans in approving a separate bill repealing another part of the health law: an independent panel that is supposed to propose ways to reduce Medicare spending.

Supporters of that bill say the board has too much power.

(AP)