[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 130 (Friday, September 27, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H5899-H5909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
OBAMACARE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 3, 2013, the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Mrs. Bachmann) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
Mrs. BACHMANN. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to be able to stand in
the greatest deliberative body in the world and in the well of the
House of Representatives. It is especially poignant that we are here
today as Members of this body, because we are looking at an historic
shift in United States history.
Next week, Mr. Speaker, not one American will escape the new rules
and regulatory burden of ObamaCare. We are going to face something
that's unprecedented in the history of the country, and we already know
what some of those results will be. We have a law that's absolutely
unaffordable. Our
[[Page H5900]]
President told us that we had to hurry, hurry, hurry--not even take
time to read the bill--because we were going to be saving $2,500 per
American household if we passed this bill.
Mr. President, we are already told that the average increase is about
$3,000 per household--well over a $5,000 difference from what you
promised us. It's unaffordable, Mr. President. Now we also know it's
completely unworkable. How do we know that? Because, Mr. President, we
already know that you have granted 19 different waivers, blockages,
repeals of ObamaCare. Even your administration--Mr. Speaker, we would
say to the President--has admitted it's completely unworkable.
And it's unfair.
I think this is what galls the American people more than anything.
How do we know it's unfair? Take a look at the leader of one of the
largest unions in the United States, one of the advocates for the
Unaffordable Care Act, as many have called it. James Hoffa, the head of
the Teamsters Union, calls ObamaCare a nightmare, and he has begged and
pleaded the President of the United States to back off of ObamaCare
because he said, in his words, that it is taking away the American
Dream--what unions have worked for, to build up a 40-hour workweek. We
are now becoming a part-time Nation so that employers today are looking
for employees who will work no more than 29-and-a-half hours a week.
That's a 25 percent reduction in hours for the average American worker,
let alone the multiple tens of thousands of employees who have already
been thrown off of their health insurance. That's unfair.
Finally, it's unpopular.
Never has ObamaCare enjoyed any popularity, and the President of the
United States promised his side of the aisle, Don't worry. Just pass
it.
In other words, build it, and they will come.
The bill was passed, and today--just literally days before this bill
goes into effect--it is more unpopular than ever. If we think it's
unpopular now, wait until it's fully implemented. As they say, there is
nothing more expensive than something that is supposed to be free, and
we are going to find out just how expensive that is.
We are going to enjoy for the next hour comments from people within
this body as to what they've heard from the folks back home, what real
Americans are saying about how this horrific law is going to impact
their lives.
I would like to first yield time to the esteemed colleague from the
State of North Carolina, the Honorable Virginia Foxx, a leader within
this body.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Minnesota for
helping to lead this effort today with our other colleague from
Tennessee and all of our colleagues who are going to be here today.
I think it's really important that we shed a lot of light on a couple
of issues that are going to be discussed. They were discussed in the 1
minutes this morning, and I want to compliment all of our colleagues
who came down to talk about this problem that we are facing with the
implementation of this unaffordable, unworkable, unfair, unpopular bill
that was passed in an unprecedented way, as you said.
I also think that it's important that we throw light on the issue of
what happens if our government is shut down. As our colleague,
Congressman Dent from Pennsylvania, was saying, House Republicans want
this government to stay open. We have acted to keep the government
open. We don't want a government shutdown. We voted a week ago to pass
a continuing resolution in advance of the new fiscal year, which lays
out how the government will be funded, how the troops will be paid, how
the parks will remain open, and how day-to-day government operations
will continue. Yes, we oppose this bill, but we want to keep our
government running.
The Democrats in the Senate have yet to pass this legislation to
protect the American people from a shutdown or from the unfairness of
ObamaCare. America is waiting for the Senate. Because the clock is
running, the country is nearing the edge of the 18th government
shutdown since 1976.
I want to thank our colleague, particularly Michele Bachmann, for
calling to our attention the article that ran in The Washington Post
this week that pointed out the history of government shutdowns. We
don't believe in government shutdowns on the Republican side, but
contrary to what our colleagues are trying to say and what the
President is saying, this is not an issue that has been brought on only
by Republicans in the past. Government shutdowns have occurred with
Democrats and Republicans in the White House. They have occurred with
divided Congresses, with a Congress of one party and a White House of
the other. They have even occurred when Democrats have controlled both
the Congress and the White House.
We don't want to add another chapter to that history, so we have
asked our colleagues in the Senate to do their part. We know that the
threat of a shutdown breeds uncertainty and confusion for American
families when too many are already concerned about how ObamaCare will
be making unwelcome changes to their health care and making health care
more expensive, as has been pointed out by several of our colleagues
today. So we want the Senate to act, to follow the lead of the House
and move the country away from shutdown and away from ObamaCare. By the
way, let's point out again that our bill passed with bipartisan
support.
The right step to take is to repeal ObamaCare--at the very least to
delay ObamaCare--because of the problems that it presents and not shut
down the government. That's the message Republicans are bringing.
Unfortunately, it has not been the message that has been out there in
the media. I am thankful, again, to my colleagues for being here today
and leading this Special Order to make sure that, at least here, we can
get that message out.
Mrs. BACHMANN. Thank you to Congresswoman Foxx.
Thank you for your leadership in this area.
It's wonderful, I think, to hear from women, and one woman in
particular is the gentlelady from Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn, who has
let our Conference know absolutely clearly that 80 percent of all
health care decisions in this country are made by women, so women, in
particular, are impacted by this decision because they are at the front
line of understanding how unaffordable the President's new health care
plan is, how unfair it's going to be to themselves, to their families,
to their parents that they often care for, how unworkable it is, and
how they want to see a positive solution.
We are not here just to beat up. We are here to make sure that we
have a positive solution for American families, and it is women whom we
are very concerned about today.
So, with that, I would like to yield to the gentlelady from
Tennessee, Mrs. Marsha Blackburn.
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Thank you so much, and I thank the gentlelady for her
attention on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I think each of us wants to thank the leadership for
allowing us to have time on the House floor and talk directly to the
American people in order to be certain that they know exactly what is
in this unaffordable act. We have talked a lot about why we want to
delay it and defund it and repeal it and replace it, and the importance
of that.
As the gentlelady from Minnesota mentioned, one of the problems that
we hear from women is--guess what?--the cost of insurance is going up.
The President had said it's going to save you $2,500, and we are
hearing now that it is going to be going up between $3,000 and $7,500
per family per year for the cost of insurance. When you look at the
cost of these exchanges, they're not saving money; it's costing them
more.
We are hearing reports of how out-of-pocket expenses are expected to
escalate. It may be $5,000 or $6,000 per family. The costs are
escalating in what families are going to be using to pay for health
care, and because of that, they are looking at us and are saying you
have to get the costs down.
There is the impact of ObamaCare on jobs, on the 40-hour workweek,
which has been such a cornerstone of the American Dream, such a
cornerstone for hardworking families to be able to support their
families, to have their children dream big dreams, to educate those
children, and to send them forward in the world to do their part in
adding to the greatness of America. That is being attacked by this
legislation.
[[Page H5901]]
It is, indeed, a law that the American people do not want because
they can't afford it.
Go back, and remember where we started with this--and this is one
thing I hear from women regularly. I had a constituent ask me recently,
and it reminded me.
She said, What was the purpose of ObamaCare?
Supposedly, when all of this great debate started, it was to find a
pathway for somewhere between 30 and 45 million Americans who did not
have access to health insurance to have health insurance. What it has
become is a Federalizing and a nationalizing of 17 percent of the U.S.
economy. It is turning health care on its head.
In order to pay for it--Mr. Woodall mentioned the hearing that we had
in the Budget Committee yesterday--they have taken money out of
Medicare, which is money that our seniors have earned. They've earned
that money. They have put it into the Medicare trust fund. ObamaCare
pulls it out and puts it over here in the ObamaCare pot--$600 billion
worth. That money was to be there for seniors, for hardworking
taxpayers. This administration picks it up, and they move it over.
They are implementing 20 new taxes. Insurance policies, home sales,
equity--you name it--medical devices are all subject to a tax. Why?
They've got to find a way to pay for this expensive program that no one
can afford. All the while, we continue to stay near 8 percent in
unemployment. We have millions of Americans--23 million Americans--who
are either unemployed or underemployed, and the Federal Government is
seeking to take more of their paychecks.
{time} 1130
This is one of the reasons that about 130 of our colleagues,
including the gentlelady from Minnesota, have joined me on H.R. 2809,
which is the legislation that is the 1-year delay of all things
ObamaCare--all the taxes, the fees, the penalties, the Medicaid
expansion that our States don't want, the exchanges that are not ready
to open. Indeed, on the front page of The Wall Street Journal, there
was another article about another glitch in these exchanges. It's not
ready for prime time. The smart thing to do is delay it so that we can
defund, repeal it, and replace it.
At our Republican Study Committee, we have introduced great
replacement language, the American Health Care Reform Act. I know that
others who are waiting to speak are going to talk about this act and
the ideas we have to give individuals and patients and moms and dads
more control over their health care. That's what we want, individuals
able to make their own decisions, not a bunch of bureaucrats sitting in
a building down on Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C.
We do not trust those decisions to nameless, faceless, unknown,
unaccountable bureaucrats. Those decisions should be made by patients
and doctors. That is what we are fighting for. We are fighting for the
future of this Nation. We are fighting to make certain that our
children know the America that we have known: the America that is
robust and accepting and is welcoming to those that want to dream big
dreams, welcoming to our children's ideas and concepts to build
companies, to innovate, to create jobs. That is what we come to the
floor to fight for. We know an important component of that is to
prevent the establishment of this program that is going to be difficult
to get off the books.
Ronald Reagan told us regularly that ``there is nothing so close to
eternal life on Earth as a Federal Government program.'' If we have to
stand here day and night in order to stop this program, let's stop it.
We continue to invite the President with open hands. We invite him to
come and meet with us and work with us. We're willing to work with you.
Let's delay this. Let's do things right. Let's not force on the
American people, force on top of them a program they have repeatedly
said, We do not want it; we do not like it; we want it repealed; we
want it replaced.
Mrs. BACHMANN. I want to say thank you to the gentlewoman from
Tennessee for all her passion and vigor and also for the wonderful
piece of legislation because I think it's a good compromise at this
point on ObamaCare. And if the truth be told, I think a lot of
Democrats secretly hope that the gentlelady's bill passes because they
know this is unworkable.
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Will the gentlelady yield?
Mrs. BACHMANN. Yes, I will yield to the gentlewoman from Tennessee.
Mrs. BLACKBURN. I think we were all encouraged when we had bipartisan
agreement and support for delaying both the employer and the individual
mandate, a vote that we took a month earlier this year, and we were
encouraged with that.
That's such an interesting thing. There has never been Republican
support for this law or the 20,000 pages of regulation that is
springing up out of this law because it is costing us jobs, it's
costing us money, and it's causing our hospitals to close. And we do
have bipartisan agreement that the law is not ready for prime time.
Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank the gentlelady.
That's exactly right. That's why I say that I think if the truth be
told, a lot of Democrats are secretly hoping that we can get this 1-
year delay. That's the minimum compromise that we're looking at,
defunding and delaying for at least 1 year. We want to save the
American people from the economic misery that's just around the corner.
I yield to the gentleman from the State of Florida, Florida's Third
Congressional District, Mr. Ted Yoho.
Mr. YOHO. I thank my colleague, the gentlelady from Minnesota, my
home State, for putting this together.
Mr. Speaker, when I was a lot younger, I remember watching President
Reagan in the debates with Jimmy Carter. President Reagan once said,
Now, Jimmy, there you go again. Here we are today, another day, another
delay by the administration, another example of why the Affordable Care
Act, or as the President likes to talk about ObamaCare, is not ready
for prime time.
Mr. Speaker, if fully implemented, this law was predicted to and is
crippling our economy; businesses would cut hours, and they are;
employees would lose benefits, and they are; and families would be
forced into government-run health care exchanges. It was said by the
President that if you like your health care plan, you'll be able to
keep your health care plan. Well, tell that to my constituents who are
being told by their insurance companies that due to the Affordable Care
Act, ObamaCare, their current plans will not exist in 2014. Just
yesterday, we had a Member of this Congress who said that his private
plan, which he paid for by himself, was canceled within the last month.
I don't believe he feels that he can keep his same insurance nowadays.
With all these delays, even supporters of ObamaCare know and now
realize that this law should have been read before it was passed. If we
go back to that infamous day, when the then-Speaker at the time said:
We have to read it to see what's in it. We have to read it to see how
it's going to work--well, that day is here and we see what's in it, and
we see how it's not going to work.
Understand, America, that the people that our government has to sign
people up on this, they're unskilled in the insurance industry, they're
unlicensed, they don't have insurance to cover errors and omissions,
they're unbonded; and we are going to give them our private
information. I want you to think about that as this law changes and
goes into effect.
With your help, we can change it. We changed the dynamics in this
Congress on the intervention in Syria. The American people stood up and
your Representatives listened to that. We can do it again if you're
willing to do that same kind of commitment. We need to get rid of this
law, and it's now time for our colleagues in the Senate to act. They
need to act in the best interest of America and not for preserving a
legacy.
Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank the gentleman from Florida.
I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Scott Garrett. He is
another tireless stalwart that, during the time when we were trying to
fight, said, This is what's going to happen, is exactly what we're
about to see transpire before our face. Mr. Scott Garrett from New
Jersey's District Five
[[Page H5902]]
made it abundantly clear exactly what was going to happen, in terms of
the unpopularity, the unfairness, how unaffordable it's going to be and
how unworkable.
Mr. GARRETT. I thank the gentlelady.
I guess I will be speaking for a minute or two on the issue of
unworkability of what's before us right now.
Mr. Speaker, I have to remind all of us here that for years now
Republicans have come to this floor with one main point when it comes
to health care: that it is our goal, it is our desire, it is our effort
to make sure that Americans can have affordable health care coverage
and health care delivery in this country. To that end--I'm not going to
go into all the details now--in this House, Republicans have offered
numerous pieces of legislation that would help facilitate that, help
Americans be able to get health insurance that they're able to afford,
that would provide them and their families the type and quality of
health insurance that they need.
We passed bills like that, and we sent those bills over to the Senate
where, as I always say, the Senate is where all good bills go to die.
Those bills never became law. What, of course, did become law is the
Affordable Health Care Act, also known as ObamaCare.
I'll speak in just a moment on the issue of its unworkability when it
comes to the issue of the data hub. It's not really talked about much,
but it is a crucial element if ObamaCare is going to go forward, and it
is also one that affects every American's life and their privacy,
whether you're in an exchange or not.
Why is that? Because ObamaCare is creating a data hub on every
American. It will look at and collect and gather together in one place
all of your personal information, all of your personal health
information, all of your personal financial information. It will be a
central location, if you will, for every American's private and
sensitive information that will be right here in Washington, D.C., for
the bureaucrats and whoever else may be able to get to it.
Can Americans really trust this system that has key information about
your income, about your Social Security number, about your email
addresses, about your family, about your family's size, about your
medical records, about what you said, how you checked boxes off at the
doctor's, your veteran status? The list goes on and on. The answer is
an emphatic ``no.'' With the ObamaCare data hub, Americans' personal
information will be shared with a myriad of distinct Federal agencies,
whether it's over at the Department of Justice, over at Social Security
with all of your Social Security information, the Department of
Homeland Security, and also with your veteran information down the
street at the IRS. We know how secure they are. It will be over at the
Treasury Department with all their information; Health and Human
Services with your medical information. It's all going to be sent, come
October 1, right here to Washington, D.C., and collected through this
central data hub.
As I said, we have already witnessed many security breaches over the
years with numerous government agencies, and the potential now is even
greater. It's magnified with abuse, and it's staggering. We know in
addition, besides the abuses by the people themselves who are going to
be operating it is a problem--just look at NSA--but we also know the
system will attract outside identity thieves and hackers; and it is
clear that the system really doesn't do an adequate job in that regard.
The system has not been fully tested for a security system, so
therefore, how can it protect Americans' personal records?
To that end, let me just bring up here a little bit of information. A
little bit ago, Kay Daly--she is with the Health and Human Services
Department--an assistant inspector general, told lawmakers at a House
hearing that the system security plan and risk assessment filed way
back on July 16 was not made available to the inspector general and to
her office, which is for a system that is supposed to be opening up in
just a few days.
Former Social Security Administration Commissioner Michael Astrue
noted that the review was done back in July and the AG audit was due on
August 2. He said:
There must have been a draft at that point.
He also observed the hub's development, until he left office, and
testified during that same hearing:
I am just not used to the idea that an inspector general
comes in and asks an agency for a thing, and they're told no.
Well, that is the situation here, and that is why many of us have
real questions about the security and the testing of it.
Look, we have witnessed privacy abuses by a myriad of government
agencies--by the NSA, by the IRS. The list goes on. That same agency
that targeted various groups--conservative groups, Christian groups,
pro-Israel groups--they will now be the same ones greatly involved in
administering this data hub. This ObamaCare data hub will end privacy
in this country as we know it, and it will grant unprecedented power
over all U.S. citizens by the government and bureaucrats right here in
Washington.
The Obama administration has said that they are delaying the
employers' responsibility provision of ObamaCare, which is the right
and responsible thing to do. They should delay every part of ObamaCare
because it is abundantly clear that the responsible thing to do is to
stop and delay ObamaCare entirely and stop, most importantly, this
unprecedented intrusion into every American's private life.
{time} 1145
Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Scott
Garrett. He has given a brilliant case on why ObamaCare enjoys a 57
percent disapproval rate by the American people.
The privacy security breach is one that I think we can't underscore
enough. People have been very nervous about disclosures that have come
out about our government. They are worried about surveillance. What we
would say is, Baby, you ain't seen nothing yet, because we are about to
see the largest Federal data hub get underway.
Because what will this contain? Not only every single American's most
sensitive, private health information about whether or not you've gone
to see a psychiatrist or a counselor or what's happened between you and
your doctor--we don't know yet if even chart notes will be a part of
this Federal data hub that the doctor writes down about what you told
them during the private doctor-patient visit.
We know that somehow this will have to be connected to data that is
connected with your employment history--where you've worked, for how
long, how much money you make, whether you are full-time, whether you
are part-time. This will also somehow have to be connected to your tax
returns, your most personal private information that no one is supposed
to have access to.
All of that will have to come together, together with your family
relationships. If you're married, if you're not married, who it is
that's considered a dependent. We have never before seen, in the
history of the United States, a conflagration and a centralizing of all
of this personal data in one hub.
And how can we, the American people, have any level of assurance that
this data will be secured? In my own home State of Minnesota, just in
the last several weeks, we had a State Federal employee working in the
new ObamaCare health care exchanges hit a button, and just like that,
1,600 Minnesotans' private information, including their Social Security
numbers, was sent out in a terrible, flagrant security breach. Not only
that, we've found out that the information, when it was sent from the
government health insurance site, wasn't even encrypted. It was
unsecured. It was on an old-fashioned Excel spreadsheet.
And in my home State of Minnesota, we were, early on, jumping on the
bandwagon of supporting ObamaCare. So my State has been fully onboard,
working to implement this as one of the earliest States, and this is
the lack of security for privacy breaches that we see even in my home
State.
That's why we are pleading with the President of the United States:
Have mercy. Have feeling for people across America who don't want their
security breached, because once it's done, it can't be undone. Once
your Social Security number is out there, what do you do? Once people
know what your income is, what some of your health
[[Page H5903]]
problems have been, what some of your family members' health issues
have been, how do you reel that back in? As they say in courtrooms, how
do you unring a bell? That's all we are trying to say today, those of
us that are on the floor, Republicans. Before it's too late, please,
look at these problems that have already happened, Mr. President.
You say you won't negotiate with us? You will negotiate with the
President of Iran, who is flagrantly producing a nuclear bomb to use
against our ally Israel and against us? You will negotiate with the
former head of the KGB and the Soviet Union with the Communist Party,
Putin, and you won't negotiate with us?
We are here. It's Friday. It ain't quitting time. We want to talk to
you, Mr. President. We are here.
And with that, I yield to the gentleman from the great State of
Montana, Steve Daines, who is a fabulous new Member of Congress, who
has been working tirelessly on behalf of the citizens of Montana to
render to them an affordable, popular, fair health insurance system.
With that, I yield to the gentleman who is the at-large
Representative of Montana.
Mr. DAINES. I want to thank the gentlelady from Minnesota.
In fact, my family roots in Montana began in Minnesota. My great-
great-grandmother was in Minnesota. She came from Norway and then
pushed westward. I think she heard the skiing was a little better out
in Montana and continued westward and homesteaded out there as a widow
with seven children, just north of Great Falls, Montana.
Well, every day it seems we hear about yet another aspect of
ObamaCare that is getting delayed or exempted or ignored. Two months
ago, it was the employer mandate. A few weeks later, it was announced
that the administration had delayed a significant consumer protection
in the law that limits how much people may have to spend on their own
health care.
A Washington Post headline from Monday read, ``One week away,
ObamaCare's small business insurance exchanges not all ready for
launch.'' And a recent POLITICO story summarizes perfectly what a
disaster ObamaCare has become:
The ObamaCare that consumers will finally be able to sign
up for next week is a long way from the health plan President
Barack Obama first pitched to the Nation.
Millions of low-income Americans won't receive coverage.
Many workers at small businesses won't get a choice of
insurance plans right away. Large employers won't need to
provide insurance for another year. Far more States than
expected won't run their own insurance marketplaces. And a
growing number of workers won't get to keep their employer-
provided coverage.
With key parts of the President's health care overhaul set to start
on October 1, one thing is certain to supporters and opponents alike:
ObamaCare is not ready for prime time. Rather than fulfilling the
President's promise of, ``If you like your coverage, you can keep it,''
ObamaCare has become a tangled web of broken promises, backroom deals,
with no relief for American families and hardworking taxpayers in
sight.
This is no more apparent than with the Office of Personnel
Management's decision to grant Members of Congress and their staff with
a special exemption from a provision in ObamaCare. This decision
demonstrates how deeply broken Washington is, and it unmistakably
suggests that Congress is focused more on their self-interests than the
interests of the American people.
That's why I've signed on to the No Special Deal for D.C. Insiders
Act and the James Madison Congressional Accountability Act, both of
which would reverse the OPM rule. It's absolutely unacceptable for
Washington to impose new burdens and costs upon the American people and
then carve out special loopholes for itself.
Until this failed law is fully repealed, Washington must live by the
same rules that have been forced upon the American people. This train
wreck of a law will raise health care costs, force businesses to close
their doors, and hurt Montana's access to quality health care.
In fact, ObamaCare could increase underlying insurance rates by up to
158 percent for the average 27-year-old Montanan and 149 percent for
40-year-old Montanans, according to a recent analysis by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. And in August, the KULR-8 news
station in Billings, Montana, reported that, according to a Montana
health expert:
It's entirely possible that there will be businesses that
go out of business solely because of this law.
I was in Missoula, Montana, this summer, meeting with local business
owners who are concerned about how ObamaCare will affect not only their
businesses but their employees' benefits and access to affordable care.
``We don't know what to do,'' Opportunity Resources' Carrie Purdy told
me. She shared how her employees are at risk of having their health
benefits decrease and premiums increase next year, as Opportunities'
own projections show an $800,000 increase in insurance costs for 2014
alone. Unsurprisingly, a recent poll shows that two-thirds of Montanans
believe that the President's health care law should either be delayed
or stopped altogether.
I was elected to represent the people, the people of Montana. Two-
thirds of Montanans say the law should either be delayed or stopped
altogether. And that is why I am on the floor here today, because this
is the House of the people. We're the voice of the people, and we are
standing up against the President's law.
As Montana's sole Member in the House of Representatives, it is my
job to ensure the Montana voice is heard, and Montanans are speaking
loud and clear. Mr. President, why don't we allow individuals to opt
out for the first year? You cut a deal with businesses to push the
mandate out for a year. Let the American people opt out, if they so
choose, for their first year. If they like their health care coverage
today, let them keep it, as you promised would be the case when you
pushed for this law a few years ago.
ObamaCare is deeply flawed. It's a law that hurts Montana, and it
must be stopped. And I will continue fighting to repeal it, delay it,
take it apart piece by piece so that Montanans never have to face the
full consequences of the President's failed health care overhaul.
Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank the gentleman from Montana.
We also have Roger Williams from Texas' 25th Congressional District.
Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, pressure is mounting on President Obama
and Harry Reid to get rid of ObamaCare. Even Senate Democrats, like Joe
Manchin, are starting to listen to the people who sent them to
Congress. Americans don't want the law, Texans don't want the law, and
my district doesn't want the law. And it's easy to see why.
This week, a report by the Manhattan Institute revealed that the
President was lying when he said Americans will see a $2,500 decrease
in their premiums. The average health care premium in 2013 for a 27-
year-old male was $91. Under ObamaCare, it's $139, a 53 percent
increase. That's really frightening. This study shows that at least 12
States will see an approximate 100 percent increase in their premiums,
many of those far exceeding 100 percent.
Mr. Speaker, this is one of the worst pieces of legislation in my
lifetime. It hurts families, it cripples businesses, and it does very
little to insure those who are uninsured. We can do better.
The President's so-called signature piece of legislation is
crumbling, and it's time for a permanent repeal, for today, tomorrow,
and for all generations to follow. In God we trust.
Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank the gentleman from Texas' 25th District, Mr.
Williams.
We have, also, Mr. Rothfus from Pennsylvania's 12th. Mr. Rothfus,
thank you for joining us today.
Mr. ROTHFUS. I thank the gentlelady from Minnesota for yielding and
organizing this important discussion.
I have been hearing a lot from the folks back home. Robert from the
North Hills of Pittsburgh wrote to us:
When Congress debated the health care law under original
objective of health care reform, we thought that meant
control and reduction of health care costs. We were wrong.
Stephanie from the North Hills said:
Add us to the statistics of those who can't keep our
insurance plans or doctors. Our family is being kicked off
our health care plan and is being forced into the exchanges.
Mark from Somerset County said:
Defunding ObamaCare is a great first step. But the next
step is total repeal, and I urge
[[Page H5904]]
you to work toward that goal at every opportunity.
His premiums are going up 43 percent.
Francis from Beaver County:
My hours were reduced to 29 per week. And now I've been
informed by my employer that I can't participate in the
corporate health insurance plan because ObamaCare prohibits
it.
Paul from Cambria County works in an auto parts store. His annual
costs are going up 16 percent.
These problems weren't supposed to happen. The President guaranteed
that if you like your health care plan, you can keep it. You know, when
you buy a product with a guarantee that doesn't work, you take it back
to the store and you get a refund.
The good news is there's a new product that we can shop for. Last
week, we introduced the American Health Care Reform Act. It's the new
product. This proposal would lower health care costs by allowing
Americans to purchase coverage across State lines and enabling small
businesses to pool together to increase their buying power. It provides
tax fairness for people who purchase their own insurance and provides
the same tax benefit as those who get insurance through their employer.
It provides tax credits for people who purchase their own insurance.
And, importantly, and if there's one thing that you have to remember,
unlike ObamaCare, which penalizes you with taxes, it gives you a tax
benefit. You are rewarded if you buy insurance, not penalized.
Also, importantly, the American Health Care Reform Act provides
significant funding for State-based high-risk pools, a place where
individuals with preexisting conditions can obtain health coverage when
doing so would otherwise have been unaffordable. And it does so without
increasing costs on those who currently have insurance.
It is time for a new beginning. It's time for bipartisan health care
reform and for that discussion to begin. It's time to bring Republicans
and Democrats together for real solutions.
As President Kennedy once said:
Let's not seek the Republican answer. Let's not seek the
Democrat answer. But let's seek the right answer.
We know that ObamaCare is the wrong answer.
Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank the gentleman.
We have with us the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, Mr.
Steve Scalise, from the great State of Louisiana.
Mr. SCALISE. I thank the gentlelady from Minnesota for her leadership
on claiming this time but also for all she's done to point out--and I
think, Mr. Speaker, as every day goes by, more and more Americans are
finding out just how devastating the President's health care law is to
their families.
The President likes mocking Republicans who have said we want to
stand up and find a better way. We don't think this law is workable.
We've had 41 laws, the President has bragged and mocked, 41 laws to
repeal or defund portions of the law.
{time} 1200
Mr. Speaker, President Obama himself has actually signed seven of
those bills into law. President Obama has recognized his bill is so
unworkable that he issued 1,400 waivers to his friends who could find
access to the White House.
Then he said, okay, the employer mandate's so bad, I'll give a break
to big businesses because it's so unworkable.
Then, just a few weeks ago, President Obama himself, Mr. Speaker,
said that he was going to actually go and give a big break to insurance
companies. But you know who we haven't given a break to yet? American
families.
Hardworking American families deserve the same relief from the
President's health care law that he has granted, time and time again,
to the privileged few who can get access to the White House. That's not
how democracy is supposed to work. That's not how health policy is
supposed to work.
This law is so unworkable that the heads of labor unions, including
James Hoffa, of all people, have said that this bill, the President's
health care law, will be a disaster to middle class working families
and will destroy the 40-hour work week that's the foundation of our
Nation's economy.
We want to give that same break to him. We want to give that same
break to all American families, and that's what this fight all about.
It's a fight to ensure that government continues to get funded, while
also providing the same relief from the President's health care law
that he already has said he wants to give, but just to the chosen few
who can get access to the White House.
If it's so good for everybody, it should apply to everybody. But if
it's so bad, it shouldn't be Swiss cheese holes that you carve out to
exempt your friends; it should be an exemption for all American
families. That's what we're fighting.
Again, I thank the gentlelady from Minnesota.
Mrs. BACHMANN. That's a wonderful rendition, and I appreciate the
gentleman from Louisiana.
I now yield to Representative LaMalfa from California's First
Congressional District.
Mr. LaMALFA. I greatly appreciate the gentlelady from Minnesota for
her efforts here and for the great lady she is.
Mr. Speaker, again, here we are, discussing an issue where this has
taken away choices from the American people.
Now, as promised, we saw the President himself say, if you like your
health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan, period.
No one will take it away.
One of my colleagues on this floor yesterday, counter to that, said
how he had had his plan canceled as of the end of this year. People all
over this country are now starting to get cancellations on their health
care insurance plan that they've chosen with their families, around
their kitchen table, probably agonized over how they're deciding to
afford it, what level of deductible, what kind of coverage they're
going to have. And that's being swept away by what really feels, to a
lot of people--a lot of my constituents are telling me it feels like a
very oppressive plan that's being pushed upon them.
It's really unbelievable in the United States of America that you can
be forced into being a part of this system. It blows my mind that the
Supreme Court would agree and rule that people should be forced into
purchasing something of this personal choice.
We talked a little bit earlier about how people's privacy is going to
be so greatly affected by all this information being dumped into a
pool, and government bureaucrats are going to be in charge of that.
Look at the leaks we've already seen with other people's information
being leaked out by the NSA, or things accidentally put on the Internet
by who knows all the different agencies involved.
Yet, this is going to manage one-seventh of our economy, and a very
important, very personal thing with people's health and their family's
health care. I really, really shudder to think--if this measure cannot
be slowed down or stopped by the efforts we're doing in the House and
in the next few days around here, it's going to be devastating to
people's personal choices, to the economy, to their jobs.
Look at the part-time jobs that are being made out of full-time jobs
because people have to react. There are true costs to what the Obama
health care takeover is going to do to the people of this country,
their families, their livelihood.
So that's why we dig in so hard to do this. This isn't politics for
us. No, it isn't. It's about doing the right thing for the American
people. A document that really was not well-read or well-vetted, done
here just about three or four short years ago here, now is coming home
to roost, in its ineptness, in its incompleteness and the overall
oppression it's causing for Americans who are feeling that they're out
of choices.
In my own home area, for example, people had up to approximately 130
different choices of health care plans through 8 to 10 different
providers. They will be limited to two in my part of northern
California, with maybe 8 to 10 total plans that they can choose from.
And the way this is rolling out right now, you might get only one
plan if you're in certain sectors for perhaps a full year. How is this
improving anything?
[[Page H5905]]
How is this making health care more affordable, more options, more
anything?
We've got to repeal this. But, in the meantime, at the very least, we
ask our colleagues in the Senate to not strip out the provision we put
in place that would allow for a 1-year delay, which is the least we
would need, as a country, to see something made better than what it is
right now.
Exemptions, one after the other, are being dropped on us. And why do
people that work in the public sector want exemptions if this is such a
great plan? Pretty soon there'll be nobody left in it except for the
taxpayers themselves.
So I thank you for the time. I thank my colleague, Mrs. Bachmann, for
allowing this time here today. And let's do the right thing here the
next few days in this Congress.
Mrs. BACHMANN. Thank you, Representative LaMalfa, for all of your
hard work on defunding and delaying ObamaCare.
We have next with us Mr. Culberson from Texas' Seventh Congressional
District, who has been tireless, especially in the area of keeping
government fully funded.
I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson).
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I think it's important for the country to
know that the House of Representatives has done its job in passing the
most important appropriations bills to make sure that our military is
fully funded, that our veterans are taken care of, that the essential
functions of Homeland Security are taken care of.
In fact, we passed those bills. The Defense bill out of the House on
July 24, the Homeland Security bill was passed on June 6, and the
Military Construction and Veterans appropriations bill was passed on
June 4. We've also passed out of the House the Energy and Water
appropriations bill. And the Senate has been sitting on these bills for
over 90 days.
Mr. Speaker, the President has very few responsibilities set out in
the Constitution. One of those specific responsibilities is Commander-
in-Chief. And it's been reported that the President recently said that
the troops in the field might not be paid unless the CR was passed.
Well, the Senate has had these bills for over 90 days. And I think it
does not--how does that reflect on the Office of the President, for the
Commander-in-Chief to say that the troops are not going to be paid,
when, in fact, we've already passed the legislation out of the House--
and the Senate's been sitting on it for over 90 days--to make sure the
troops are paid?
We, in the House of Representatives, the constitutional conservative
majority in the House, are keeping our word to the Nation and to our
constituents to do everything in our power to defund, repeal, delay,
whatever it takes to stop the most destructive piece of legislation
ever passed by this Congress.
And I don't think it should be called ObamaCare. It should be called
``DemocratCare'' because it was done with 100 percent Democrat support.
Not a single Republican voted for it because we recognized the damage
it would do to the economy and to our magnificent health care system.
The Democrats passed this bill on their own and, all of a sudden,
they're discovering, as the asteroid enters the atmosphere, they've got
a big problem because it is causing doctors to leave the profession.
It's driving up the cost of health insurance premiums. It's raising
deductibles. People are losing their health insurance and being dropped
into these nonexistent exchanges.
One other problem that I just discovered and that no one is, I think,
aware of yet, are nonprofit organizations who have been lifting people
out of homelessness or addiction and giving them job skills and
training them, and they find local employers that are willing to take
these folks and give them a clean slate, a fresh start, and a new job,
and it would wipe out any convictions they've had. They wipe out any
history they've got of drug addiction.
These nonprofit organizations have suddenly discovered that the
employers are pulling up the drawbridge because, all of a sudden, the
employer could be faced with--he's got to decide, as an employer, do I
have to provide health care coverage for this, essentially, volunteer,
this worker who was previously homeless and had no job skills, and I
could be fined for every employee in the company.
So the disasters continue to unfold. It's urgent the House of
Representatives--we will all, I know--stand together working and doing
everything we can to repeal, delay, defund ``DemocratCare,'' using
every legislative tool at our disposal.
I thank the gentlewoman from Minnesota for the time.
Mrs. BACHMANN. I am extremely grateful to Representative Culberson. I
know his daughter, Caroline, is the most precious part of his life, as
our daughter, Caroline, is as well. And as a gentleman from Texas, I
know it's his daughter that he's most concerned about with the ill
effects of this bill.
I yield now to another great Texan, Randy Weber, from the great State
of Texas, from the 22nd District of Texas.
Mr. WEBER. I thank the gentlelady.
Mr. Speaker, four facts, one question.
Fact 1: ObamaCare passed the House by the House Democrats, 219 of
them. Now, 34 Ds joined Republicans in opposition. Let us see how many
join on funding the government with the upcoming CR.
Fact 2: Republicans are poised to fund everything in the government
at the current levels, and are eager to do so.
Fact 3: Polls show that Americans overwhelmingly do not want
ObamaCare.
Fact 4: This House of Representatives is the keeper of the purse, as
designed in the Constitution, and it's well within our authority to
defund the ill-conceived and very unpopular government takeover of
health care.
Only one question, Mr. Speaker: Will those same Democrats that voted
for ObamaCare vote with the American people this time, and will the
Senate vote with the American people this time?
I'm Randy Weber, and that's the way I see it.
Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank Randy Weber from Texas. Texans have stood up
on this issue, and they've been fighting from the very beginning.
But there's also another Member, who's a new Member of Congress, Mr.
Kerry Bentivolio. Kerry Bentivolio, from Michigan's 11th District, has
diligently worked not only to defund ObamaCare but to delay ObamaCare.
He ran on that when he ran for office, and he has fulfilled that
promise while he's been a Member of Congress.
I yield to the gentleman from Michigan's 11th District, Mr. Kerry
Bentivolio.
Mr. BENTIVOLIO. I thank the gentlelady from Minnesota. That's to
defund or delay.
Mr. Speaker, the President's health care law is unworkable.
Hardworking Americans know it. They're going to see their insurance
premiums skyrocket.
Small business owners know it. They're going to have to scale back
hiring, and maybe even let people go.
People in the President's own party know it. Even Senator Baucus from
Montana, a key author of the legislation, called it a train wreck not
long ago.
The unions know it. Teamsters' James Hoffa calls it a nightmare
because of the jobs and benefits lost. Why?
Because, despite the President saying the law is working the way it's
supposed to, we know it's not working at all. That's why House
Republicans remain committed to protecting the American people from
this unworkable, unfair law.
Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank Mr. Bentivolio.
I yield now to Scott Tipton from Colorado's Third Congressional
District, a fabulous Member of Congress.
Mr. TIPTON. I thank the gentlelady for her leadership.
Mr. Speaker, the Affordable Care Act missed on its primary goal,
addressing affordability and accessibility for the American people.
Probably no one said it better than the AFL-CIO just a few weeks ago,
saying that the Affordable Care Act will lead to the destruction of the
40-hour work week, and will devastate the health and well-being of
their members.
There was a time in America when we worked to be able to get a 40-
hour work week. Now, Americans just want to have a 40-hour work week.
We know there is a problem with the health care law when we're seeing
[[Page H5906]]
fewer doctors, fewer nurses, fewer hospital beds, but yet we have the
room to be able to create more IRS enforcers.
This is legislation that we're reaching out to the administration to
be able to work on. To be able to create affordability and
accessibility, we must defund and replace this broken piece of
legislation on behalf of the American people.
Mrs. BACHMANN. Thank you, Representative Tipton.
From the Rocky Mountains all the way to the great State of New York,
I yield to Mr. Tom Reed, a fabulous Member of Congress from New York's
22nd Congressional District.
Mr. REED. I thank the gentlelady for yielding.
I came here today on the floor of this Chamber, Mr. Speaker, and I
just dropped the Fair CR. And what the Fair CR says is, let's listen to
the American people. Let us delay ObamaCare for at least 1 year.
The President has already given business a pass for 1 year. Why is it
fair that individuals and hardworking taxpayers have to be subject to
this mandate?
Also, what's fair is, why are there special exemptions for Members of
Congress and employees and staffers here in Washington, D.C.? You've
got 300 million other Americans that have to be subject to this law.
It's just not right. It's just not fair. It's time to keep the
government open but do what's right and listen to the American people
and take care of this unfair policy that the administration knows needs
to stop.
Mrs. BACHMANN. Representative Tom Reed has gone to the heart of this
problem, which is the lack of fairness in ObamaCare. And speaking to
that is Representative Ted Poe of the great State of Texas. After
myself, my mother's favorite Member of Congress is Ted Poe, our hero.
I yield to the representative from the great State of Texas (Mr.
Poe).
Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentlewoman, and I thank your mother
for being so kind. I appreciate the fact that you're bringing this to
the attention of the American public and to Members of Congress again.
The Affordable Care Act, it's not affordable, and it has nothing to
do with care. We cannot afford it, and it's the health care of the
Nation now turned over to the government.
Are you kidding me?
That's why we are so persistent in trying to change a bad decision by
Congress, the Affordable Care Act.
So this morning, I asked people that are on my Facebook to answer
this question: How's ObamaCare affecting you and your business?
Share your story with me.
Well, I got a lot of them, and I can't give them all today.
{time} 1215
Here's what Stan says:
I lost my job and had to take one with lower pay and no
insurance, as a result of ObamaCare.
Carolyn says:
My husband's insurance increased 162 percent.
The gentlelady from Minnesota knows these are real people. These
aren't statistics out there in the fruited plain. These aren't theories
by the President. These are real people who are affected by the
President's signature legacy nightmare law.
Ray says:
My family didn't get a congressional exemption. Can you get
me one?
Ray, good point. Members of Congress ought to be under the same laws
as everybody else in the country. Everybody ought to be under
ObamaCare.
And he brings out a good point. I have here 729 exemptions of the
over 1,200 that were granted by the President for waivers of ObamaCare.
I would have had all 1,200 but the copy machine ran out of paper so I
couldn't print them all.
But here are 729 special folks, special treatment, better deal,
because they're not under ObamaCare. They get some kind of waiver for
implementation of ObamaCare. And Ray is right: it's just not right. It
discriminates against everybody else. This great law gets to apply to
everybody except some special folks the President gives waivers to--at
least 729.
After Ray's comment about a congressional exemption, I can't get you
one, Ray. You need to call the President.
Michael says:
I have to postpone my graduation from the University of
Houston because I cannot take the courses I need due to
having to work to pay for mandatory health insurance.
Tonya says:
My family's insurance premiums have tripled since ObamaCare
was signed into law. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be
able to keep it.
Tonya's tripled.
Pam says:
The huge chemical company my husband works for has made
changes to his benefits package, which include higher
deductibles, copays, and loss of some prescription drug
benefits, all done in anticipation of this new law. Please
help.
URGENT: I want to hear from you. How has #Obamacare
affected your family or business? Share your story by
commenting on this post & #MakeDClisten
Stan: I lost my job and had to take one with lower pay and
no ins.
Carolyn: ``My husband's insurance increased 162%.''
Ray: ``My family didn't get a congressional exemption, can
you get me one?''
Michael: ``I am having to postpone my graduation from UH
because I cannot take the courses I need due to having to
work to pay for mandatory health insurance.''
Tonya: ``My families insurance premiums have tripled since
Obamacare was signed into law. I'm not sure how much longer I
will be able to keep my insurance.''
Pam: ``The HUGE chemical company my husband works for has
made changes to his benefits package, which include higher
deductibles, copays, and loss of some prescription drug
benefits. All done in anticipation of the implementation of
the health care act the Pres and Dems are forcing on us! He
works hard, I am a public school teacher, and we want to send
our daughter to her dream school upon graduation this year:
The University of Texas. More coming out of our pockets for
health ins, means less available for college! Please help''
Kristy: ``Family business has had a 47% increase in cost to
company since Obamacare was passed. Want to provide the same
benefits to employees, but the increase amounts to the annual
salary of employee. Will have to cut somewhere.''
David: ``I am a US/Texas citizen, living in Bahrain/
residence in Bahrain. My employer provides my insurance in
Bahrain. I am told I have to buy a US policy are pay a
penalty.''
Huckleberry: ``I expect my health insurance to double. The
provider has extended my renewal date till dec 1st as they
are waiting to see what congress is going to do.''
Teddy: ``My fiancee went from 40-plus hours a week to 27
hrs because her employer said they had to in order to avoid
penalties from obamacare. My sister has been told that her
test and some of medicines for her MS will not be covered
because obamacare mandates say she is no longer going to be a
`viable' person at the age of 50.''
Linda: ``I'm feeling the pain of Obamacare today. My
doctor's office told me this morning that my insurance
company will no longer cover a procedure for my knee. I will
now have to pay $1,080 out of pocket. Asked if this was a
result of Obamacare, she replied in the positive.''
24 Hour Fitness, Allied Building Inspectors IUOE Local 211
Welfare Fund, Alpha Omega Home Health, LLC, Andersen
Corporation, Bowman Sheet Metal Heating & Air-conditioning,
Bricklayers Insurance & Welfare Fund, Bridge, Structural,
Ornamental & Reinforcing Ironworkers Local Union No. 60*,
Carey Johnson Oil Co, Inc, Catholic Charities of the Diocese
of Albany*, Cement Masons' Local No. 502 Welfare Fund, City
of Bloomington VEBA Health Savings Plan*, City of
Burnsville*, City of Olathe*, Clausen Miller PC.
Crystal Run Village, Inc*, Delta Apparel, Discovery
Benefits*, Dr. Trailer Repair, Inc., Employer-Teamsters Local
Nos. 175 & 505 Health and Welfare Fund, Entrust, Fabri-Quilt,
GC Harvesting, Inc., Glen Curtis, Inc. #2143, Heritage
Christian Services, IBEW Local 3 NYC Electrical Division
Health & Welfare Fund, Indiana Area UFCW Union Locals and
Retail Food Employers' Health and Welfare Plan.
Ingham County, Innovative Driver Services Company,
Integrity Data*, Inter-County Hospitalization Plan, Inc.,
Jakov P. Dulcich & Sons, Jefferson Rehabilitation Center, JLG
Harvesting, Inc., Johnson Machine Works, Kent County,
Laborers' District Council of Virginia Health and Welfare
Trust Fund, Laborers National Health and Welfare Fund, Local
1245 Health Fund, Local 237 Teamsters Suffolk Regional Off-
Track Betting Corp. Health and Welfare Trust Fund.
Local 295 Welfare Fund, Local 381 Group Insurance Fund,
Local 805 Welfare Fund, Marble Industry Trust Fund, McGregor
Schools ISD #4*, MJ Soffe, MO-Kan Teamsters and Welfare Fund,
Mounds View Public Schools*, MVP, North State Bank, North
States Industries Inc*, Pathways Inc., Pavers and Road
Builders District Council Welfare Fund, Phoenix Children's
Academy, Roofers Local 8 Insurance & Trust Fund.
San Bernardino IHSS Public Authority, SCC Healthcare Group,
LLP, Schenectady ARC*, Schoharie County ARC*, Sieben Polk Law
Firm, Sitel, Inc., Southern Graphic Communication Health
Fund, Springbrook Standalone HRA*, St. Lawrence NYSARC*,
Sunview Vineyards of California, Inc., Tandem Eastern Inc. /
Consolidated Transport
[[Page H5907]]
Systems, Inc., Taylor Farms, Teamsters Union Local # 35, The
Day Care Council/Council of Supervisors and Administrators
Welfare Fund.
The Public Authority of San Luis Obispo County, The
University Financing Foundation, Inc., The Village of Newark
Non-Union Employee Plan*, Theatrical Stage Employees Local
One, Tuff Shed, Inc., U.A. Local 13 & Employers Group
Insurance Plan*, UFCW & Participating Food Industry Employers
Tri-State Health & Welfare Fund, UFCW Local 1500 Welfare
Fund, UFCW Local One Health Care Fund, Ulster Greene ARC*,
Westminster-Canterbury of Lynchburg, Wine and Liquor Salesmen
of NJ, A-1 Transport, AIDS Council of Northeastern New York,
Avon Central School District,
Azeros Health Plans, Inc.*, Benton County*, Bessey Tools,
Inc., Canandaigua City Schools*, City of Eagan*, City of
Shakopee Post-Employment Health Care Savings Account Plan *,
Community Work and Independence Inc., Continuing
Developmental Services, Crystal Cabinet Works, Inc.,
CU*Answers, Inc., Euromarket Designs, Inc., d/b/a Crate and
Barrel, First National Bank of Dietrerich, Franziska Racker
Centers*, Fridley Public Schools Health Savings Plan*, FSA/
SUNYAB-Campus Dining and Shops, Genesee County ARC*.
Genesee County Economic Development Corp Health
Reimbursement Account*, Grand Island Central School
District*, Hammondsport Central School District, Imperial
Wholesale, Inc., Learning Disabilities Association of Western
New York, Minnesota State Retirement System Post-Employment,
Health Care Savings Plan--City of Roseville*, Naples
Central School District, Naples Central School District
Support Staff, Newark Central School District, Niagara-
Wheatfield CSD Self Funded, Panama Central School District,
People 1st Health Strategies, Inc., Pipe Fitters' Welfare
Fund, Local 597*, Ron Clark Construction Health reimbursement
Arrangement*.
Sherman Central School District, Silver Creek Central
School District*, Sodus Central School District, Telco
Construction, Town of Albion, Town of Chenango, Town of
Lockport, Twin City Die Casting*, Western Area Volunteer
Emergency Services*, Westfield Academy*, Williamson Central
School District, American Radio Association Plan, Carpenters
Health and Security Trust of Western Washington, Communicare
Health Benefits Trust, District Council 1707 Local 389 Home
Care Employees Health & Welfare Fund.
Health and Welfare Plan of the Laundry, Dry Cleaning
Workers & Allied Industry Health Fund, Workers United,
Northern Illinois and Iowa Laborers Health and Welfare Fund,
Prell Services, United Food and Commercial Workers Retail
Employees and Employers Health and Welfare Plan, A-1 Realty*,
AABR*, ABCO Diecasters*, Alfred P. Sloan*, Alizio & Galfunt*,
All American Heating and AC*, Allied Pilots Association,
Amherst Central School District*, AristaCare at Meadow
Springs*, Arthur Sanderson & Sons*, Associated General
Contractors of ND Employees*, Autistic Service, Inc.*
Bartech Group, Basf Fuel Cell, Inc.*, Battery Park City
Authority*, Battery Park City Conservancy*, Benefit Analysis
Inc.*, Blaze SSI*, Blue Beacon, Board of Trustees for the
Operating Engineers Local 101, Health and Welfare Fund,
Business Wire*, Cargo Ventures*, Carnegie Corporation of NY*,
Carpenters Local No. 491 Health & Welfare Plan, Central
Laborers' Welfare Fund, Central States, Southeast and
Southwest Areas Health and Welfare Fund, City of Cottage
Grove*, City of Inver Grove Heights*, City Of Roseville MN*.
Clinton Management*, Cloquet Area Fire Department*, Cohen
Partners*, Community Bank of Bergen County*, Community
Mainstreaming*, Contract Cleaners Service Employees Benefit
Trust, Cornerstone Search Group*, D & D Ag Supply and
Construction, Inc.*, Dial Senior Management, Inc, Douglaston
Development*, Dr. Margaret Andrin, MD FACOG LLC*, Dynasil
Corporation*, Echo Molding*, Eighth District Electrical
Benefit Fund, Electrical Workers Health and Welfare Fund,
Enterprise Concrete Products, LLC Texas.
Epilepsy Foundation*, Epilepsy Foundation Northeastern New
York*, Evans Chemetics*, Excellus Health Plan, Fairport
Central School District*, Goodwill Industries of Central
Indiana, Gregory Packaging*, Gulf Coast Health Care,
Handcraft Manufacturing Corporation*, Haver Analytics Health
Waiver*, Health Care Employees Dental and Medical Trust,
Hiawatha Medical, Inc.*, Highfield Gardens Care Center*,
Hirsch International*, Hotel, Restaurant & Bar Employees
Health and Welfare Fund.
Hypex Inc.*, IBEW Local Union No. 126 Health and Welfare
Fund, International Union of Operating Engineers,
Supplemental Benefit Fund Local 409*, Interstate Connecting
Components*, Jacobson Family Investments*, J-B Wholesale Pet
Supplies*, JKL International*, Jump, Scutellaro, and Co.,
LLP*, KC International dba Ekman Recycling*, Kerwin
Communications*, Kingstown Capital Management*, Koellman Gear
Corporation*, Kramer Electronics*, Lakeview Subacute Care
Center*, Langan Engineering and Financial Services, Inc.*,
LBDD*, League of Minnesota Cities*, Leisure Properties LLC d/
b/a/ Crownline Boats*.
Liberty House Nursing Home*, Lifetime Assistance, Inc*,
Lincoln Hall*, Local 888 UFCW, Maharishi University of
Management, Mamiya America Corporation*, Mandt Reiss &
Associates PLLC, Margaret P. Muscarelle Child Dev. Center*,
Merrill Farms LLC, Micelli Motors, Inc.*, Midwest Asphalt
Corporation*, Midwest Teamsters, Monroe County*, Nassau
County Chapter, NYSARC, Inc*, NCHC, Inc.*, New York State
Assn. for Retarded Children Erie Co.
Chapter dba/Heritage Centers*, NJ Society of CPAs*, North
Greece Fire District*, Northern Minnesota-Wisconsin Area
Retail Food Health & Welfare Fund, Ogontz Avenue
Revitalization Corporation*, Parkview Care and Rehab*, PCB
Machining Solutions*, PCB Piezotronics*, Philadelphia
Macaroni Company*, Phoenix Partners Group, LP*, Privilege
Underwriters, Inc.*, Progressive AE*, Quadrant Capital
Advisors, Inc.*, Regency Management Group, LLC*, Rhoads
Industries*, Roofers Local #96 Health & Welfare Fund.
Rowe and Company, Inc.*, Rush-Henrietta Central School
District HRA*, Security Benefit Fund of the Uniformed
Firefighters Association of New York City, SEIU Health and
Welfare Fund, 2000 Seneca Cayuga ARC*, Service Employees 32BJ
North Health Benefit Fund*, Sierra Video Systems*, SMEG*,
Strategic Industries*, Superior Officers Council Health and
Welfare Fund, Teamsters Local Union 966 Health Fund, Techno
Source USA*, The Alternative Living Group, Inc.*, The Arc of
Otsego (Otsego County Chapter NYSARC, Inc.)*, The Arc of
Rensselaer County*, The City of Cloquet*, The Henry Luce
Foundation*, The Maritime Aquarium of Norwalk, Inc.*
The Pew Charitable Trusts*, The Rehabilitation Center*, The
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation*, Topco*, Totino Grace High
School*, Urstadt Biddle Properties*, W.H. Reaves & Co.,
Inc.*, Walder, Hayden & Brogan, PA*, Walters-Morgan
Construction, Inc., Wellspring Advisors*, West Bergen Mental
Healthcare*, Westchester ARC*, Westchester JCS*, Western
Beef*, Hollow Metal Trust Fund. Theatrical Teamsters Local
817 IBT Welfare Fund.
Vestal Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc., AccessAbility,
Inc., Ackerman Oil Employee Benefit Trust, Albany County
Chapter, NYSARC Inc., DBA New Visions of Albany*, American
Eagle Outfitters, Basin Disposal, Bengard Ranch, Inc.,
Bestway Rental, Inc, Big Lots, Inc., Byrd Harvest, Inc.,
Cardinal Hayes Home for Children HRA Plan*, CDS
Administrative Services, LLC, Center for Energy and
Environment*, City of Brooklyn Park*, D'Arrigo Bros. Co. of
California, Defender Services, Inc., DineEquity, Inc.
Green Leaf Distributors, Inc., IBEW Local Union No. 728
Family Healthcare Plan, Joseph Gallo Farms, Life Benefit
Plan, Luther Automotive Group HRA*, Metrics Inc., Nueces
County Appraisal District, Ocean Properties Ltd, P-R Farms,
Inc., SEIU Health & Welfare Fund, Sports Arena Employees'
Local 137 Welfare Fund, Staywell Saipan Basic Plan, Truck
Drivers and Helpers Local 355 Health and Welfare Fund,
Communications Workers of America, Local 1180 Security
Benefits Fund, Health and Welfare Fund of the Detectives'
Endowment Association, Inc. Police Department City of New
York.
Man-U Service Contract Health and Welfare Fund, Paschall
Truck Lines, Inc., SEIU Local 300, Civil Service Forum
Employees Welfare Fund, Electrical Welfare Trust Fund,
Highmark West Virginia Inc. d/b/a Mountain State Blue Cross
Blue Shield, Advocacy and Resource Center*, Amalgamated,
Industrial and Toy & Novelty Workers of America, Local 223
Sick Benefit Fund, Atlanta Plumbers & Steamfitters Fringe
Benefit Funds.
Aurora Consulting Group, Inc.*, Brock Enterprises, Inc.,
Central Texas Health and Benefit Trust Fund Locals 520, 60 &
72, Electricians Health, Welfare & Pension Plans I.B.E.W.
Local Union No. 995, Essex County Chapter NYSARC, Inc. dba
Mountain Lake Services*, Executive Management Services, Inc.
Florida Laborers Health Fund, Fulton County Chapter NYSARC,
Inc.*, General Parts, LLC*, Greystone Program, Inc*, Hacienda
Harvesting, Inc., IBEW Local No. 640 and Arizona Chapter NECA
Health & Welfare Trust Fund, Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie,
Louisiana Electrical Health Fund, Maverick, Inc. Employee
Health Care Benefits Plan, Memphis Construction Benefit Fund,
Mid-South Carpenters Regional Council Health and Welfare
Fund, Mountain Lake Services, NECA-IBEW Local 480 Health and
Welfare Plan, Plumbers and Pipefitters Welfare Fund of Local
Union No. 719.
Retiree Plan of the Central States, Southeast and Southwest
Areas Health and Welfare Fund, Richmond Community Services*,
Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 177 Health and Welfare, Pension
and Vacation Funds, Sheet Metal Workers' National Health
Fund, South Central Laborers' Health & Welfare Fund,
Southeastern Pipetrades Health & Welfare Fund, Telamon
Corporation Health Reimbursement Arrangement*, The ARC of
Delaware County*, UFCW Local 1262 and Employers Health &
Welfare Fund, United Cerebral Palsy of Ulster County, Inc*,
Vincent B Zaninovich & Sons, Inc., Wayne ARC Standalone HRA
Section 105 Plan*, Wildwood Program*, Allied Welfare Fund.
Becker County Post-Retirement Health Care Savings Plan*,
Becker County VEBA*, FIDUCIA*, Triple-S Salud, Inc., B. R.
Company, Britz Companies, ET AL, Century Health and Wellness
Benefit Plan and Trust, EBSA Foundation Encore Enterprises,
Faurecia USA Holdings, Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, Inc.,
Minnesota Cement Masons Health and Welfare Fund, Plumbers
Local
[[Page H5908]]
Union No. 690 of Philadelphia and Vicinity Health Plan,
Robert Heath Trucking Inc., Securitas Security Services USA,
Inc., Sunwest Fruit Company, Inc., The Louis Berger Group,
Inc.
United Food & Commercial Workers Unions and Employers
Midwest Health Benefits Fund, WD Young & Sons, Inc., Atlantis
Casino Resort Spa, United Food and Commercial Workers and
Employers Arizona, Act Trust Mini-Med Plan, Allen's Family
Food, Anderson Media Corporation, Blasters, Drillers & Miners
Union Local No. 29 Welfare Fund, Care Initiatives, Inc.,
Cement and Concrete Workers District Council Welfare Fund
Plan, COARC*, Construction Workers Local 147 Welfare Fund,
Crystal Run Healthcare, Diamondback Management Services, LTD,
Freeman Metal Products, Hardwick Clothes, Inc., Hronis, Inc.
International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers,
Isaacson Isaacson Seridan & Fountain, LLP, Katy Industries,
Inc., Landscape, Irrigation and Lawn Sprinkler Industry
Health and Welfare Plan and Trust, Local 298 Health Benefit
Fund Plan, Local 803 Health and Welfare Fund, Louisiana
Laborers Health and Welfare Fund, M.A. Mortenson, Maple Knoll
Communities, Marshall Durbin Food Corporation, Minnesota
Teamsters Construction Division, Name Brand, Inc., Oklahoma
Goodwill Industries, PepsiCo, Inc., Plumbers & Pipefitters
Local Union 823 Health & Welfare Fund, Plumbers &
Steamfitters Local No. 6 Health and Welfare Fund, Regent Care
Center, Rice Food Markets, Inc., Rice Food Markets, Inc.
Ricker Oil Company, Skilled Health Care, Southwestern
Teamsters Security Fund, Teamsters Local 445 Welfare Plan,
Teamsters Local 210 Affiliated Health and Insurance Fund,
Teamsters Welfare Fund of Northern New Jersey Local 1723, The
Durango Herald, The Talbots, Inc., Town of Frisco Medical
Plan, Tudor Ranch,
UNITE HERE Local 74 Welfare and Dental Trust, United
Employees Health Plans, United Food and Commercial Workers
Union Local 1000 and Kroger Dallas Health and Welfare Plan,
United Service Employees Union, Local 377, RWDSU, UFCW,
WageWorks, Inc.
IBEW Local 613 and Contributing Employers Family Health
Plan (Union), Advantage Benefits Company, LLC, Aerospace
Contractors' Trust**, AJFC Community Action Plan**,
Altisource Portfolio Solutions, American Heritage Life
Insurance Company, Americare Properties, Inc., AMN
Healthcare, Andrews Transport L.P.**, Anoka Hennepin Credit
Union* **, APWU Health Plan Conversion Plan, Aspen
Snowmass**, ATCO Rubber Products, Inc, Baylor County Hospital
District, Belk Farms**, Bricklayers Local 1 of MD, VA and DC,
Cardon & Associates, Inc**, Catholic Charities of the Diocese
of Ogdensburg.
Central Mills**, Civil Service Bar Association Security
Benefit Fund**, Cotton Belt Inc.**, CPC Logistics Health &
Welfare Plan**, Delmarva United Food and Commercial
Workers**, Dole Food Company**, EchoStar**, First Acceptance
Corporation, Fontanese Folts Aubrecht Ernst Architects, PC**,
Forest Products Inc. Group Health Plan**, Fruhauf Uniform
Direct Labor, Golden State Bulb Growers, Inc.**, Greater
Kansas City Laborers Welfare Fund**, Grower's Transport LLC,
Heartland Automotive**, Helfman Enterprises, Inc.**, Hoosier
Stamping and Manufacturing Corp., Horizon Bay Realty LLC**,
I.B.E.W. Local 1249 Insurance Fund**, Ingomar Packing
Company, LLC.
Integra Healthcare, Inc. (Integrity Home Care)**,
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers**,
International Brotherhood of Trade Unions Health and Welfare
Fund--Local 713, International Union of Operating Engineers
Local 295-295C Welfare Trust Fund**, International Union of
Operating Engineers, Local Union Number 137**, Iron Workers
Local Union #28 Health and Welfare Fund**, Lamanuzzi &
Pantaleo**, Living Resources**, Local 1102 Amalgamated
Welfare Fund, Local 1102 Health & Benefit Fund, Local 1102
Welfare Fund--Lerner Employees, Local 272 Welfare Fund**,
Local 338 Affiliated Benefit Funds, Madelia Community
Hospital**, Max Homes, Loc**, Medical Development
Corporation**, Mesa Air Group**, Mesa Packing** Michigan
Conference of Teamsters Welfare Fund**, Minnesota and North
Dakota Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers**.
Mission Linen Supply, NFI Industries, Operating Engineers
Local 835 Health and Welfare Fund, Opportunity Resources,
Inc. Health and Welfare Plan, Orange County AHRC* **,
Orscheln Industries, Pacific Risk Management**, Pearson Candy
Company, Pinnacle PRM**, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 430
Health and Welfare Fund**, Progressive Logistics Services**,
Pure Air Filter Sales & Service**, Rancho Maria PRM**, Reiter
Affiliated Companies**, Retail, Wholesale & Dept. Store Union
Local 1034 Welfare Fund.
Rio Farms PRM**, Sensient Technologies Corp., Service
Employees International Union Local 1 Cleveland Welfare Fund,
SFN Group, Sheet Metal Workers Funds of Local Union 38**,
SMWIA 28**, Southeast OBGYN, PC* **, Southern CA Pipe Trades
Trust Fund, Southern Operators Health Fund**, Stonebridge
Hospitality Associates**, Sun Healthcare Group, Inc.,
Teamsters Local 522 Welfare Fund Roofers Division, Teamsters
Local Union 72 Welfare Fund**, Telesis Management
Corporation, Texas Carpenters and Millwrights Health and
Welfare Fund, The Mentor Network, The Wada Farms, Inc.
The Wilks Group, Inc. dba Ashley Furniture Homestore, The
Wright Travel Agency**, Town of Grand Island* **, Trans-
System, Inc., True Leaf Farms**, UFCW Local 371 Amalgamated
Welfare Fund**, United Crafts Benefits Fund**, United Food &
Commercial Workers Unions and Employers Local No. 348 Health
& Welfare Fund**,
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445 New
Hampshire, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1459 and
Contributing Employers Health and Welfare Fund**, United Food
and Commercial Workers Local 464a**, United Food and
Commercial Workers Local 911**, Varsity Contractors, Inc.,
Waffle House, Weckworth Manufacturing**, Western Express,
Inc., Western Harvesting PRM Health Plan**, WG Yates and Sons
Construction Company**, World Class Automotive**, Yukon-
Kuskokwim Health Corporation**, Alaska Pipe Trade U.A. Local
367 Health and Security Trust**, Amalgamated National Health
Fund.
American Farms, PRM Health Plan**, American Growers
Cooling, PRM Health Plan**, AUTO, LP, dba AutoInc. Health
Benefit Plan**, Better Way Partners, LLC**, Big Valley Labor,
PRM Health Plan**, CB Harvesting, PRM Health Plan**, City of
Rockwall**, Cocopah Nurseries, Inc., Express Harvesting, PRM
Health Plan**, Fallen Oak Packing, PRM Health Plan**,
FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company on behalf of Longworth
Industries, Foot Locker, Inc.**, Fresh Express, G&H Farms,
PRM Health Plan**, Gill Ranch, PRM Health Plan**, Gill
Transport, PRM Health Plan**, Gills Onions, PRM Health
Plan**, Green Valley Farm Supply, PRM Health Plan**,
Greencroft Communities, Growers Express, PRM Health Plan**,
Hall Management Group, Inc.**, IH Services**, Independent
Group Home Living Program, Inc.
King City Nursery, PRM Health Plan**, Meijer Health
Benefits Plan/Primary Care Option, Mission Ranches, PRM
Health Plan**, Moore's Retread & Tire of the Ark-La-Tex,
Inc., NOITU Insurance Trust Fund**, Payroll Solutions,
Plumbers and Pipefitters Local No. 630 Welfare Fund, Seco
Packing, Transcorr, United Food and Commercial Workers Union
Local 1000, United Wire, Metal & Machine Health & Welfare
Fund**, Western Growers Assurance Trust, Wisconsin United
Food & Commercial Workers Unions and Employers Health Plan**,
1199SEIU Greater New York Benefit Fund, A. Duda & Sons, Inc.,
Adecco Group, Inc., Biomedic Corporation, Buffets, Inc.
Carington Health System, Cleveland Bakers Teamsters, Club
Chef LLC, Columbia Sussex Mgmt, LLC, CRST International Inc.,
Darr Equipment, Co., DC Cement Masons Welfare Fund, Deaconess
Long Term Care, Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc., ECOM
Atlantic, Inc., FW Walton, Inc., G4S Secure Solutions, GC
Services, L.P. & First Community Bancshares, Inc.,
Guardsmark, LLC, Indiana Teamsters Health Benefits Fund, Knox
County Association for Retarded Citizens, Laundry and Dry
Cleaning Workers Local No. 52, Mars Super Markets, Inc., MPS
Group, Inc.
Nexion Health, Noodles & Company, Pharmaca Integrative
Pharmacy, Quality Integrated Services, Inc., RE Rabalais
Constructors, LTD, RREMC LLC, Security Forces Inc., Shirkey
Nursing.
Social Service Employees Union Local 371, Spindle, Cooling,
& Warehouse, Strauss Discount Auto, Sunburst Hospitality,
Susser Holding Corp, Telescope Casual Furniture, Teletech
Holdings, Inc., The Brinkman Corporation, The LDF Companies,
United Food and Commercial Workers Union (Mount Laurel, NJ),
United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1459 Universal
Orlando, Valley Services, Inc.
United Food and Commercial Workers and Participating
Employers Interstate Health and Welfare Fund, Protocol
Marketing Group, Sasnak, Star Tek, Adventist Care Centers,
B.E.S.T of NY, Boskovich Farms, Inc, Cafe Enterprises, Inc.,
Capital District Physicians, FleetPride, Inc., Gallegos Corp,
Hensley Industries, Inc., Jeffords Steel and Engineering,
Laborers' International Union of North America Local Union
No. 616 Health and Welfare Plan, O.K. Industries, Service
Employees Benefit Fund, Sun Pacific Farming Coop, SunWorld
International, LLC.
UFCW Allied Trade Health & Welfare Trust, United Food and
Commercial Workers Union Local 1995, HCR Manor Care, IBEW No.
915, Integra BMS for Culp, Inc., New England Health Care
Employees Welfare Fund, Wiliamson-Dickie Manufacturing
Company, Aegis Security Insurance Company, Alliance One
Tobacco, Asbestos Workers Local 53 Welfare Fund, Assurant
Health (2nd Application), Captain Elliot's Party Boats,
Carlson Restaurants, CH Guenther & Son, CKM Industries dba
Miller Environmental, Caribbean Workers' Voluntary Employees'
Beneficiary Health and Welfare Plan, Darden Restaurants,
Duarte Nursery.
Employees Security Fund, Florida Trowel Trades, Ingles
Markets, Meijer, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Plumbers & Pipefitters
Local 123 Welfare Fund, Sun Belt, UFCW Local 227, Uncle
Julio's, United Group, US Imaging, Vino Farms, AdvantaStaff,
Inc., Agricare, Alaska Seafood, American Fidelity,
Convergys, Darensberries, Gowan Company, Greystar, Macayo
Restaurants, Periodical Services, UniFirst, Universal Forest
Products, UFCW Maximus Local 455, American Habilitation
Services, Inc., GuideStone Financial Resources, Local 25
SEIU, MAUSER Corp., Preferred Care, Inc.
Ruby Tuesday, The Dixie Group, Inc., UFCW Local 1262,
Whelan Security Company, AMF Bowling Worldwide, Assisted
Living Concepts, Case & Associates, GPM Investments, Grace
Living Centers, Mountaire
[[Page H5909]]
Corporation, Swift Spinning, Belmont Village, Caliber
Services, Cracker Barrel, DISH Network, Groendyke Transport,
Inc., Pocono Medical Center, Regis Corporation, The Pictsweet
Co.
Diversified Interiors, Local 802 Musicians Health Fund, MCS
Life Insurance Company, The Buccaneer, CIGNA, Greater
Metropolitan Hotel, Local 17 Hospitality Benefit Fund, GSC-
ILA, The Allied Industries Health Fund, Harden Healthcare,
Vernon Sheltered Workshop, Inc. Health and Welfare Plan #501,
I.U.P.A.T., Sanderson Plumbing Products, Inc.
Transport Workers, United Federation of Teachers Welfare
Fund, Aegis, Aetna, Allflex, Baptist Retirement, BCS
Insurance, Cryogenic, Fowler Packing Co., Guy C. Lee Mfg.,
HealthPort, Jack in the Box, Maritime Association, Maverick
County, Metropolitan D.C. Paving Industry Employees Health
and Welfare Fund, PMPS-ILA, PS-ILA, QK/DRD (Denny's),
Reliance Standard, Tri-Pak, United Agricultural Benefit
Trust.
Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank the gentleman from Texas, Judge Ted Poe,
because what we are fighting is to make ObamaCare equal for all
Americans.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Holding). Members are reminded to
address their remarks to the Chair and to refrain from engaging in
personalities with regard to the President.
____________________