Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) told Breitbart News Saturday in an exclusive interview that “Democrats would love to run away from” Obamacare ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.

Congressman Kelly sponsored H.R. 173, the Middle-Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 2017, which would repeal Obamacare’s 40 percent excise tax on generous employer-sponsored health insurance, otherwise known as the “Cadillac tax.” Due to the Cadillac tax’s unpopularity, Congress has delayed the excise on generous health plans until 2022. However, Rep. Kelly has sponsored a bill to rescind the tax.

The Pennsylvania Congressman’s legislation has 301 sponsors and features support from across the political spectrum. Over 165 Republicans cosponsored the bill, and even 134 Democrats support the legislation.

Congressman Kelly explained that rather than delay the tax, Congress needs to repeal it now.

“We have been able to delay it for a few years, but we have not been able to repeal it, and you know how it is with government: if it’s still living, it’s still breathing, you better drive a stake through its heart because it’s going to come back and get you some time in the future,” Kelly said. “So we have to get rid of it altogether.”

Breitbart News Saturday host Matthew Boyle noted that the legislation has more cosponsors than votes necessary to pass the bill and that Democrats who supported Obamacare in its original form now support repealing the Cadillac tax.

Boyle asked, “Why isn’t this being voted on?”

Kelly said, “We have been talking with leadership about this. My understanding is that after the August recess, back in September it’s going to be part of a larger package. But you just hit on a large list of reasons of why it should be voted on right now. It’s up to leadership to bring these up now, to bring these pieces forward, I understand there’s a strategy for doing it, but we’ve already repealed the individual mandate, now we’re looking at repealing this horrible piece that’s in there and all it is just a revenue grab by the government.”

The Pennsylvania Republican first introduced the bill seven months ago in January and the House Republican leadership has yet to capitalize on the legislation’s significant bipartisan support.

Lame-duck Speaker Paul Ryan spoke with Never Trump National Review editor Jonah Goldberg on Thursday about constitutional government in the age of tribalism and identity politics at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). The same day, AEI health scholar James Capretta wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, urging Republicans to keep the Cadillac tax.

Congressman Kelly contended that Democrats would love to run away from Obamacare.

Kelly continued, “When you talk about all of the sponsors we have, some of the Democrats would love to run away from the Affordable Care Act but they can’t, it’s their construct, they’re the ones that put it through and now they’re trying to find excuses for why they think it still has the merit.”

“When you talk about all of the sponsors we have, some of the Democrats would love to run from Affordableable Care Act but they can’t it’s their construct, they’re the ones that put it through and now they’re trying to find excuses for why they think it still has the merit,” Kelly added.

Congressman Kelly also suggested given the incoming 2018 mid-term elections, Republicans can show that they are better on health care compared to Demcorats. Kelly charged, “We believe that Americans have the right to choose whatever health care package that is right for them. The right to. Have their own insurance the right to have their own doctor.”

Rep. Kelly said regarding Obamacare, “The Democrats are the architects, they’re the engineers they’re the people who constructed it and put it together, they’re the ones that voted it in.”

Breitbart News Saturday airs on SiriusXM Patriot125 from 10 a.m to 1:00 p.m. Eastern.