[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 149 (Wednesday, October 23, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H6692]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      DELAY THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE

  (Mr. BARROW of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARROW of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, since October 1, millions of 
Americans have attempted to access Healthcare.gov to try to learn about 
the health insurance coverage they are required to buy; and every day, 
we are learning more and more about the problems they are facing. Folks 
are frustrated, and rightfully so.
  I am proud to be part of a bipartisan effort to reform the law by 
repealing the mandate that employers provide coverage they can't afford 
and the mandate that individuals buy insurance on their own.
  Earlier this year, the administration delayed the employer mandate 
because businesses across the country just weren't ready, but not the 
individual mandate. At the very least, our constituents deserve the 
same relief that the businesses got.
  This isn't about pointing fingers. This is about providing some 
relief to the folks we represent who are facing serious uncertainty 
because they are being forced to buy something that is just not ready.
  I urge my colleagues and the administration to delay the individual 
mandate. It is not only the right thing to do, it is the only practical 
thing to do.

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