[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 104 (Thursday, July 12, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1247-E1248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REPEAL OF OBAMACARE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 11, 2012

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the 
measure before us today. While the Supreme Court may have ruled 
Obamacare constitutional on the basis that it is a tax, that doesn't 
make it good policy. We owe it to the American people to repeal this 
middle-class tax hike and instead enact real reform that will rely on 
reasonable and proven market-driven solutions that do not trample on 
individual rights.
  As we craft our replacement to Obamacare, however, we must protect 
one positive provision that was enacted as part of the law: the 
Medicaid funding included beginning addressing the longstanding 
disparity for Puerto Rico and the other U.S. territories compared to 
the states. This funding represented a shared commitment between the 
federal and territorial governments to ensure the fiscal solvency of 
the territories' Medicaid programs. Although this additional funding 
was added to Obamacare legislation, it represents the culmination of 
years of discussion between the federal government and the territories, 
and is entirely separate from the rest of the law. If this funding is 
not replaced, Puerto Rico will

[[Page E1248]]

once again be forced to cover 80 percent of the cost of its Medicaid 
program--a burden that would be unfathomable and fiscally unsustainable 
if placed on the states. If hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans have 
willingly served in the U.S. military with honor, wearing the U.S. flag 
proudly on their uniform, then surely we can treat the U.S. citizens of 
Puerto Rico fairly in Medicaid.
  When Puerto Rico Governor Fortuno took office in 2009, he inherited a 
$3.3 billion budget deficit. A true fiscal conservative, he made the 
difficult choices necessary to reduce this deficit by 90 percent in 
FY2013. Failure to replace this Medicaid funding would not only have 
dire consequences for the neediest residents of Puerto Rico, but would 
also jeopardize the Island's economic recovery and marginalize the 
tough choices and sacrifices made by Governor Fortuno and the 3.7 
million U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico over the past 3\1/2\ years. With 
this in mind, I would like to express my commitment to work with my 
colleagues to ensure we restore this vital funding.

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