[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 108 (Thursday, July 25, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1143-E1144]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     IN OPPOSITION TO THE RULE GOVERNING DEBATE ON H.R. 2667, THE 
                    ``AUTHORITY FOR MANDATE DELAY''

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 25, 2013

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Rule 
and the underlying legislation because this bill would delay the 
implementation of the employer mandate a key provisions of the 
Affordable Care Act until 2014.
  The House majority on May 16, 2013 placed before this body another 
bill in another attempt to end the Affordable Care Act also known as 
Obama Care. Their efforts to do anything and everything they can think 
of to stop millions of Americans from enjoying the security of health 
care enjoyed by all of my colleagues in this body is astounding. The 
Health care we enjoy is at the taxpayer expense so we do know what a 
federally supported health plan can do.
  27.6 percent of Texans are without health care coverage
  The Department of Health and Human Services announced over $9 million 
in grants to fund community health centers all over the State of Texas. 
The funds will be used to enroll the uninsured in new health coverage 
options made available under the Affordable Care Act--or Obama Care 
Act.
  The Affordable Care Act is needed and we should not pretend 
otherwise. The Administration announced that it would on its own allow 
a delay to work with the 5 percent of employers who are having 
difficulty meeting the mandate for providing health insurance for all 
of their employees. This means that 95 percent have met the obligation 
so the need for this change in law is not founded in fact.
  In my district over the weekend, I held a press conference to 
congratulate Community Health Centers in the City of House who received 
part of $9 million to the State by the Department of Health and Human 
Services. The Grants to Community Health Centers will fund work to 
enroll the uninsured in new health coverage options made available 
under the Affordable Care Act--or Obama Care Act.

[[Page E1144]]

  Community Health Centers are non-profit, community focused health 
care providers who serve low-income and medically underserved 
communities.
  Community Health Centers care for over 22 million people nationally.
  In 2012, 50 million people in the United States had no health 
insurance coverage, with many losing insurance as a result of the 
recent recession.
  The grants provided to Community Health Care Centers like Legacy 
Community Health Services located in my district will help millions of 
uninsured people in our nation get the medical care they need and 
deserve.


 List of Community Health Centers Awarded Funds in the City of Houston

  Fourth Ward Clinic--$124,395
  El Centro Del Corazon--$144, 525
  Houston Community Health Care--$90,691
  South Central Houston Community--$165,755
  Asian American Health Coalition of the Greater Houston Area--$90,867
  Spring Branch Community Health Center--$108,346
  Houston Area Community Services--$73,981
  Legacy Community Health Services--$267,747
  Health Care for the Homeless--$104,000
  Harris County Hospital District--$154,326
  In 2012, Texas had 67 health centers operating in 388 sites providing 
services to over 1 million patients. Fifty-one percent of the 1 million 
people cared in my state for were uninsured.


                 Statistics on the Affordable Care Act

  --Affordable Care Act Benefits to the 18th Congressional District:
  11,400 young adults have insurance through their parents.
  4,100 seniors received $5.4 million in discounts for prescription 
medication and average of $600 per person. This was a cost savings of 
$650 on average and so far in 2013 the savings are $1,040.
  71,000 seniors are now eligible for Medicare prevention services 
without paying co-pays.
  121,000 individuals, including 23,000 children and 50,000 women now 
have health insurance that prevent insurance companies from spending 
more than 20 percent of their premium dollars on profits and 
administrative overhead.
  46,000 children with pre-existing illnesses can no longer be denied 
insurance.
  153,000 people in my district have health insurance that have no 
lifetime limits on their coverage and will not face annual limits.
  Up to 193,000 people in the 18th Congressional District of Houston 
Texas will have access to quality health affordable health care without 
fear of discrimination or higher rates because of preexisting health 
conditions.
  17,000 individuals who purchase insurance on the private health 
insurance market established for individuals or small groups will have 
access to more secure, higher quality coverage and many will have 
access to financial assistance.


                     National Benefit of Obama Care

  13 million Americans received $1.1 billion in rebates from their 
health insurance companies last year.
  105 million Americans have free preventive services.
  Millions of women now have free coverage for comprehensive women's 
preventive medical services.
  100 million Americans no longer have a life-time limit on healthcare 
coverage.
  17 million children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be 
denied coverage by insurers.
  6.6 million young-adults up to age 26 can stay on their parents' 
health insurance plans.
  6.3 million Seniors in the `donut hole' have saved $6.1 billion on 
their prescription drugs.
  3.2 million Seniors have access to free annual wellness visits under 
Medicare.
  360,000 Small Businesses are using the Health Care Tax Credit to help 
them provide health insurance to their workers.


            Statistics on Texas and the Affordable Care Act

  3.8 million Texas residents receive preventative care services.
  7 million Texans no longer have lifetime limits on their healthcare 
insurance.
  300,731 young adults can remain on their parents' health insurance 
until age 26.
  5 million Texas residents can receive a rebate check from their 
insurance company if it does not spend 80 percent of premium dollars on 
healthcare.
  4,029 people with pre-existing conditions now have health insurance.
  In 2014, Insurance companies will be banned from: discriminating 
against anyone with a preexisting condition; charging higher rates 
based on gender or health status; enforcing lifetime dollar limits; 
enforcing annual dollar limits on health benefits.
  The healthcare law has many benefits.
  For these reasons, I urge my Colleagues to join me in voting no on 
the rule for this bad bill.
  The House and the Senate have real work to create jobs, strengthen 
the food security for our most vulnerable--children, elderly, disabled 
and low-wage workers. We need to address immigration reform and Border 
Security and we should be focused on the need to pass appropriations 
bills that eliminate Sequestration that is strangling the financial 
security of millions of Federal workers. Sequestration not only hurt 
Federal workers but the local economies that no longer have the incomes 
provided by Federal agencies to stimulate the recovery our Nation is 
now entering.
  We should be about the business of the people sent us to Washington 
to work in their interest.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject the rule for this bill.

                          ____________________