[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 139 (Tuesday, October 8, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H6345-H6346]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        DOING THE PEOPLE'S WORK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, just because the President and Senate refuse 
to talk to the House of Representatives doesn't mean we're going to 
stop doing the people's work. We will continue to make the case that 
there is no rational or acceptable reason for the President and Senate 
to deny working families fair treatment under ObamaCare.
  Just as the President decided to give big businesses 1 year to ready 
themselves for all of the ObamaCare's drastic changes, the American 
people should have that same year. It is basic fairness.

[[Page H6346]]

  And while the Senate refuses to work with us to work through our 
policy differences to reopen government fully, the House of 
Representatives will continue building common ground with House 
Democrats to restore as many services as we possibly can. The Senate 
should consider these proposals--opening parks, funding the NIH, ending 
veteran benefits application delays, funding FEMA and the FDA, and 
restoring WIC. They are things we can agree on. Let's not squander 
these opportunities for common ground. Let's pass policies we can agree 
on and work through our differences together. Regardless of the 
Senate's non-negotiation policies, North Carolinians still deserve to 
have their voices heard at their Capitol.
  My constituent Jeremiah from Rural Hall just received a letter from 
his insurance provider. He tells me:

       It appears that due to the health care reform, my insurance 
     premium will double for the upcoming year. It also appears 
     that there's nothing I can change with my current insurance 
     provider to make it more affordable. I have been attempting 
     to log onto the President's Web site, healthcare.gov, without 
     success. I understand that I may be able to get a tax credit 
     if I'm eligible. To my understanding, this will not help me 
     in making my month-to-month bills. If this change goes 
     through next year, I'll not be able to afford to feed my 
     children, much less purchase health insurance. This needs to 
     stop now.

  Angie from Clemmons contacted me to say:

       ObamaCare is already adversely affecting my family in 
     several ways. My son and daughter-in-law's family health 
     policies are rising dramatically. They both are already 
     working full-time jobs, and each one has part-time work also.

  Robert from Lewisville wrote:

       My 27-year-old son, David, buys health care insurance 
     through Blue Cross/Blue Shield of North Carolina. His current 
     cost is $111 per month. He received a letter from Blue Cross 
     saying his current policy is being canceled due to the 
     Affordable Care Act--ObamaCare. David's new cost is going to 
     be $288 per month. He works hard and does not take handouts 
     from government. How is ObamaCare helping people like him?

  Jeffrey from Boonville told me his story, too:

       I went onto the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Web site this 
     morning. If I buy health insurance today, the cost would be 
     $256 a month, but come the first of the year, the same plan 
     will be $556 a month. How is that affordable? This new law 
     was supposed to make it more affordable. I've not checked yet 
     to see if I can get a subsidy. Even if I was eligible for 
     one, it's not the responsibility of other Americans to 
     subsidize my family's health insurance.

  Susan from Mocksville wrote to me to say:

       I had affordable health care. I paid Blue Cross/Blue Shield 
     of North Carolina $181 per month. Now they sent a letter 
     saying that if I keep this insurance, it will now be $464 per 
     month. This is insane. ObamaCare is affordable for who? 
     Please, who can I contact to have some kind of influence?

  Mr. Speaker, we share Susan's concerns in the House of 
Representatives. We want Susan to be treated fairly and to have the 
same 1-year break from ObamaCare that President Obama chose to give to 
Big Business. And on Susan's behalf, House Republicans are trying to 
contact a body with some influence, the United States Senate, to find a 
way to reopen government and ensure ObamaCare is implemented fairly. 
But the Senate isn't willing to budge. They won't sit down to talk. 
They are not interested in making sure the President's unworkable law 
is at least applied fairly.

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