[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 15, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E487]
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, March 15, 2011

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the End the Mandate 
Act. This legislation repeals the sections of the health reform law 
that force all Americans to purchase federally-approved health 
insurance plans.
  As two federal courts have ruled, 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, 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.
  Mr. Speaker, the health care law does not just require Americans to 
buy health insurance--it forces them to obtain what the federal 
government decides is ``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.
  Mr. 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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