[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 126 (Wednesday, July 26, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S4315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 288. Mr. Heller submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 267 proposed by Mr. McConnell to the bill H.R. 1628, to 
provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of the concurrent 
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2017; which was ordered to lie 
on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. SENSE OF THE SENATE.

       It is the Sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the committee of jurisdiction of the Senate--
       (A) should review the issue of Medicaid expansion and 
     coverage for low-income Americans, and the incentives such 
     expansion provides States for certain services;
       (B) should consider legislation that provides incentives 
     for States to prioritize Medicaid services for individuals 
     who have the greatest medical need, including individuals 
     with disabilities;
       (C) should not consider legislation that reduces or 
     eliminates benefits or coverage for individuals who are 
     currently eligible for Medicaid;
       (D) should not consider legislation that prevents or 
     discourages a State from expanding its Medicaid program to 
     include groups or individuals or types of services that are 
     operational under current law; and
       (E) should not consider legislation that shifts costs to 
     States to cover such care;
       (2) Obamacare should be repealed because it increases 
     health care costs, limits patient choice of health plans and 
     doctors, forces Americans to buy insurance that they do not 
     want, cannot afford, or may not be able to access, and 
     increases taxes on middle class families, which is evidenced 
     by the facts that--
       (A) premiums for health plans offered on the Federal 
     Exchange have doubled on average over the last 4 years, and 
     those increases are projected to continue;
       (B) 70 percent of counties have only a few options for 
     Obamacare insurance in 2017, and at least 40 counties are 
     expected to have zero insurers planning on their Exchange for 
     2018;
       (C) 2,300,000 Americans on the Exchange are projected to 
     have only one insurer to choose from for plan year 2018; and
       (D) the Joint Committee on Taxation has identified 
     significant and widespread tax increases on individuals 
     earning less than$200,000; and
       (3) Obamacare should be replaced with patient-centered 
     legislation that--
       (A) provides access to quality, affordable private health 
     care coverage for Americans and their families by increasing 
     competition, State flexibility, and individual choice; and
       (B) strengthens Medicaid and empowers States through 
     increased flexibility to best meet the needs of each State's 
     population.
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