[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 51 (Tuesday, April 13, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                INTRODUCTION OF THE END THE MANDATE ACT

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                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 13, 2010

  Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the End the Mandate 
Act. This legislation repeals the sections of the recently-passed 
health reform bill that force all Americans to purchase federally-
approved health insurance plans.
  Forcing every American to obtain health insurance is a blatant 
violation of the Constitution. Defenders of this provision claim the 
Congress's constitutional authority to regulate ``interstate commerce'' 
gives Congress the power to mandate every American obtain a federally-
approved health insurance plan. However, as Judge Andrew Napolitano and 
other distinguished legal scholars and commentators have pointed out, 
even the broadest definition of ``regulating interstate commerce'' 
cannot reasonably encompass forcing Americans to engage in commerce by 
purchasing health insurance.
  Forcing every American to obtain a congressionally-approved health 
insurance plan is not just unconstitutional; it is a violation of the 
basic freedom to make our own decisions regarding how best to meet the 
health care needs of ourselves and our families.
  Madam Speaker, the new law requires Americans to have what is defined 
as ``minimum essential coverage.'' Some people may claim that the 
requirement to have ``minimal essential coverage'' does not impose an 
unreasonable burden on Americans. There are two problems with this 
claim.
  First, the very imposition of a health insurance mandate, no matter 
how ``minimal'' violates the principles of individual liberty upon 
which this country was founded.
  Second, the mandate is unlikely to remain ``minimal'' for long. The 
experience of states that allow their legislatures to mandate what 
benefits health insurance plans must cover has shown that politicizing 
health insurance inevitably makes health insurance more expensive. As 
the cost of government-mandated health insurance rises, Congress will 
likely respond by increasingly subsidizing health insurance for an ever 
increasing number of Americans.
  When the cost of government-mandated insurance proves to be an 
unsustainable burden on individuals, small employers, and the 
government, Congress will likely impose price controls on medical 
treatments, and even go so far as to limit what procedures and 
treatments mandatory insurance will reimburse.
  Madam Speaker, Congress made a grave error by forcing all Americans 
to purchase health insurance. The mandate violates fundamental 
principles of individual liberty, and will lead to further government 
involvement in health care. I therefore ask all of my colleagues to 
join me in correcting this mistake by cosponsoring the End the Mandate 
Act.

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