[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 7, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H1213]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            PROTECT TRICARE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I'm extremely disappointed by the President's 
fiscal year 2013 budget proposal, which would dramatically increase 
health care costs for our Nation's veterans and military personnel. 
While I applaud the Pentagon's willingness to make tough choices, these 
changes are simply unacceptable.
  The President's plan would hike annual TRICARE premiums by up to 78 
percent in the first year alone. Every 5 years, beneficiaries would 
face premium hikes ranging from 94 percent to 345 percent--345 percent, 
Mr. Speaker. This means that a retired Army soldier with a family could 
see his annual premiums jump from $460 to $2,048. This is disgraceful.
  It's wrong to impose crippling rate increases on our Nation's heroes 
while leaving benefits for unionized civilian defense workers 
untouched. It is wrong to surreptitiously dismantle TRICARE in an 
effort to funnel beneficiaries into ObamaCare's subsidized health care 
exchanges. It is wrong, and it is shameful.
  Mr. Speaker, I wear a pin every day that says I support veterans. 
Every American should be supporting veterans. It is the reason we are 
here and allowed to speak freely and the reason Americans are able to 
speak and go about their business every day doing what they do because 
of the sacrifices that have been made by those who have served.
  In every generation, the men and women of America's Armed Forces have 
answered the call to service. They have sacrificed greatly, and they 
deserve better than this.

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