Obama being sued by Republicans for exceeding his powers over health care

Contending that US President Barack Obama exceeded his constitutional powers in the way he enforced the 2010 health care law, a sharply divided House of Representatives approved a Republican plan to file an election- season lawsuit against him.

Democrats say the lawsuit is a campaign-year stunt designed to draw conservative voters to the polls in congressional elections in November. They also say it may be a prelude to an effort to impeach Obama, a suggestion denied by Republicans.

Republicans say Obama has gone too far in selectively enforcing parts of the health care overhaul, the signature legislation of his presidency, such as by delaying the requirement that many employers provide health insurance for their workers.

They say they are protecting the constitution's division of powers. Republicans have not laid out a timetable for actually filing the suit.

The House vote on Wednesday was 225 to 201. No Democrats voted for the plan.

Speculation about impeachment of Obama has been popular among conservative activists and some lawmakers, despite House Speaker John Boehner's dismissal of the idea. Democrats have capitalised on the speculation, sending fund-raising pleas to their own supporters warning that Republicans are out to impeach Obama and ruin his presidency.

Republicans, who are expected to keep their House majority after November's elections and hope to gain control of the Senate, say Obama has enforced laws as he wants to, dangerously shifting power to the presidency from Congress.