The House of Representatives announces that it plans this week to vote on - and probably approve - a step to unveil health insurers' antitrust protections, which will be Congress' first initiative this year to try to overhaul the nation's health care system.

"I don't think this will have much effect. This is strictly political posturing," said Paul Ginsburg, the president of the Center for Studying Health System Change, a Washington research group.

The House action is cited to be a stance to jump-start Congress' stalled health care effort. The House issued a sweeping blueprint for change on Nov. 7, the Senate approved its version Dec. 24.

Brown reflected his harsh criticism against the Democratic health care plans during his campaign, and his victory left Democrats in control of 59 Senate seats - one short of the number needed to cut off debate. The bill encounters rough prospects in the Senate. House leaders, however, say that eradicating the antitrust exemption will pose an advantage to the consumers, and they speculate that the plan boosts freshmen Democrats, generally the most vulnerable members in November's elections.

Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Va., who has been severely opposed by the Republican in November, was the featured speaker at a news conference Friday to ponder over the initiative, and he offered a rousing defense of the bill.