I rise today in support of H.R. 2667, a bill that delays the employer mandate. While it is encouraging to see that the Administration has finally acknowledged the burdens ObamaCare is placing on employers, we must be a nation of laws, not blog posts, which is how the Administration announced the delay.
While this bill provides employers with some temporary relief from the health care law, it provides no real relief. Even with this delay, small businesses and families will not get what they were promised – affordable health care.
Inexplicably, the Administration thinks only businesses should be exempt from the pain inflicted by ObamaCare. How is that fair? Families and individuals are already struggling in this Obama economy. They are paying more for gas, more for food and wages aren’t keeping up with the ever-increasing costs of everyday life. Don’t these hardworking Americans deserve the same relief the Administration is giving to the business community?
That is why we must also pass the Fairness for American Families Act, which will delay the individual mandate. House Republicans believe it is only fair that families and individuals receive the same treatment. These two bills will ensure that fairness is applied to employers and employees as well as families and individuals.
The Obama Administration claims that “they are listening,” to the American people. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid recently said, “ObamaCare has been wonderful!” These claims reveal a Democratic leadership that is out of touch with reality. When I go back to my district, I hear first hand from constituents about the concerns with the law. They ask me:
- “Why are my premiums skyrocketing?”
- “How can I grow my business with all these new mandates, regulations and red tape?”
- “Why am I losing the insurance I have and like?”
House Republicans share those concerns, and these bills are a positive step forward to protect hardworking taxpayers and businesses from some of the most onerous provisions in the health care law.
The Administration’s “time out” from the law doesn’t change the fact that ObamaCare is unworkable. Instead, it is an admission that this law is unworkable. Just a few months ago, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius pledged before the Ways and Means Committee that this law would be ready, on-time and without any delays. Well, now we know the truth – this Administration cannot make its own law work.
The American people deserve real reforms that actually make health care affordable. During the health care debate, only one bill was scored by the Congressional Budget Office as actually lowering premiums – the House GOP alternative to the Democrats’ health care law. It met the top health care priority of American families – lowering the cost of health insurance premiums. We should scrap this law, and get back to commonsense, step-by-step reforms on healthcare.
I urge my colleagues across the aisle to join us and support this legislation. Vote to treat American families and individuals the same as businesses. Vote yes to codify the delay of the employer mandate, and vote yes to delay the individual mandate.