House Republicans took the first step Thursday in a likely doomed effort to kill the Labor Department’s fiduciary rule.

On a party-line vote, the House Education and the Workforce Committee approved a resolution to void the rule.

However, only once in the last 20 years has Congress succeeded in overturning a federal regulation, according to the Congressional Research Service.

In the last year, Congressional efforts to kill the fiduciary rule when it was proposed also failed.

The best chance opponents may have in weakening or eliminating DOL’s mandate that retirement plan advisors always put their clients’ financial interests above their own appears may be in the federal courts.

Education and the Workforce Chair John Kline said no one planning to file suit has asked his office to prepare a friend-of-the-court brief or for other assistance.

A companion resolution to void the fiduciary rule has also been filed in the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is one of 32 sponsors, who are all Republicans.

What makes federal rules so difficult to void by Congress is that overturning a Presidential veto takes a two-thirds vote by each chamber.

Currently there are 247 Republicans and 193 Democrats in the House with 54 Republicans and 44 Democrats in the Senate with two independents who often side with the Democrats.