[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11062-11073]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        REPEAL OF OBAMACARE ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, further 
consideration of the bill (H.R. 6079) to repeal the Patient Protection 
and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the 
Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, will now resume.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to yield 1 minute to the 
Speaker of the House, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner).
  Mr. BOEHNER. Let me thank my colleague for yielding, and say to my 
colleagues, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6079, a legislation 
that would repeal the President's health care law.
  When this bill passed, we were promised that the health care law 
would lower costs and help create jobs. One congressional leader even 
suggested it would create 400,000 new jobs.
  Well, guess what? It didn't happen. This bill's making our economy 
worse, driving up the cost of health care, and making it harder for 
small businesses to hire new workers.
  The American people were told that they'd come to like this bill once 
it was passed. Well, that didn't happen either. Most Americans not only 
oppose this law, but they fully support repealing it.
  The American people were told that taxes on the middle class wouldn't 
go up if this bill passed. Well, guess what? There are 21 tax increases 
in this health care law, and at least a dozen of them hit the middle 
class.
  And let me just give you a glimpse of the damage that all these tax 
hikes will do to our economy. A tax on health insurance providers will 
end up costing up to 249,000 jobs, according to the National Federation 
of Independent Business.
  A tax on health care manufacturers will put as many as 47,000 jobs in 
jeopardy, according to one nonpartisan estimate. Then you've got the 
employer mandate, which will affect every job creator with 50 or more 
employees.
  Let's take White Castle, a company in my home State. They say that 
the employer mandate would eat up most of their net income starting in 
2014. And that's on account of just one provision in the law.
  And then there's the individual mandate that the Supreme Court has 
now ruled is a massive tax. The Congressional Budget Office says that 
roughly 20 million Americans will either have to pay this tax or be 
forced to buy insurance that they wouldn't have purchased otherwise.

[[Page 11063]]

  You add it all up, the tax increases in this health care law will 
take at least $675 billion out of our pockets over the next 10 years. 
All this at a time when employers are just trying to get by.
  Listen, I think there's a better way, and that's why we're here 
today. Americans want a step-by-step approach that protects the access 
to care that they need from the doctor they choose at a lower cost. 
They certainly didn't ask for this government takeover of their health 
care system that's put us in this mess that we're in today.
  At the beginning of this Congress, the House voted to repeal this 
health care law. It was our pledge to America, and we kept it. 
Unfortunately, our colleagues in the Senate refused to follow suit, and 
since then, we've made some bipartisan progress on repealing parts of 
this harmful health care law, including the 1099 paperwork mandate.
  But this law continues to make our economy worse, and there's even 
more resolve to see that it is fully repealed.
  Now, I think this is an opportunity to save our economy. And for 
those who still support repealing this harmful health care law, we're 
giving our colleagues in the Senate another chance to heed the will of 
the American people. And for those who did not support repeal the last 
time, it's a chance for our colleagues to reconsider. For all of us, 
it's an opportunity to do the right thing for our country.

                              {time}  1330

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to our 
Democratic leader, the gentlelady from San Francisco, California, 
without whom there would not be an Affordable Care Act, and we greatly 
appreciate her efforts.
  Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, more than 2 years ago, we put forth a vision for 
America's middle class to ensure health care would be not a privilege 
for a few but a right for all Americans.
  Today and yesterday--for the past 2 days--as they've done more than 
30 times in this Congress, the Republicans are set to take away that 
right. Over the past 2 days, we have heard the talking points of the 
health insurance industry. They're trying to drown out the facts, and 
the facts are these:
  What is the takeaway from this debate? The takeaway is the 
protections House Republicans are voting to take away from America's 
families:
  Today, up to 17 million children have the right to health care 
coverage even if they have diabetes, asthma, leukemia, or any other 
preexisting medical condition. Put an ``X'' next to that. Republicans 
want to take away protections for children with preexisting conditions;
  Today, all young adults have the right to get insurance on their 
parents' policies. Republicans want to take away that right from 
America's students and young people. Where we have that coverage for 
young adults, put an ``X'' next to that;
  Today, 5.3 million seniors have saved $3.7 billion on their 
prescription drugs. Republicans want to take away prescription drug 
savings for seniors;
  Today, small business owners have used tax credits to help them 
afford insurance already for 2 million additional people, and the bill 
is not fully in effect. Republicans want to take away the tax credits 
for businesses to help their entrepreneurship and job creation;
  Today, nearly 13 million Americans are set to benefit from $1.1 
billion in rebates from health insurance companies. Republicans want to 
take away those cost savings from America's families;
  Today, American women have free coverage. They have a right to free 
coverage for lifesaving preventative care like mammograms. Starting in 
August, women will gain free access to a full package of preventative 
services. No longer will a woman be a preexisting medical condition, 
but Republicans want to take away those protections from women and all 
Americans.
  Many across the country have heard our Republican colleagues claim 
that very few people are affected by the preexisting condition 
provision of the law. The fact is: The Republicans are wrong. The fact 
is--you be the judge--138 million Americans have preexisting medical 
conditions.
  I ask our friends on the other side of the aisle: Do you know anybody 
with breast cancer? with prostate cancer? with asthma? with diabetes? 
people with disabilities? The list goes on and on. With this bill that 
you have on the floor today, you will take away their rights to 
affordable coverage.
  That is why the American Cancer Society opposes this repeal effort 
and their ``13 million cancer patients and survivors who need access to 
adequate and affordable coverage.'' That's why they oppose this repeal 
effort, the American Cancer Society.
  Do any of you know the millions of Americans living with a 
disability? With this bill, you take away their rights to quality, 
affordable care.
  That's why Easter Seals wrote:

       Millions of parents of children with disabilities are 
     breathing a huge sigh of relief knowing their children will 
     not be dropped from their insurance.

  Do you know any parents of children with diabetes or asthma or 
childhood leukemia? Do you know any? With this bill, you will take away 
the rights of these children to affordable care throughout their lives.
  That's why the American Diabetes Association, on behalf of the nearly 
26 million Americans with diabetes, urged us to oppose this bill in 
order to ``protect people with diabetes who for too long have been 
discriminated against because of their disease.''
  My Republican colleagues are taking away patient protections for 
millions of Americans, protections you as Members of Congress already 
enjoy. I think that that's an undermining of fundamental fairness. If 
you repeal this bill, it means you keep your Federal health insurance 
benefits while you take these patient protections away from the 
American people. What a Valentine to the health insurance industry.
  When I think of people protected by this law, I always remember the 
powerful testimonial at a hearing last year from Stacie Ritter, whose 
twin daughters, Hannah and Madeleine, are both cancer survivors. 
They're 4 years old, and both were diagnosed with leukemia. Hannah and 
Madeleine faced stem cell transplants, chemotherapy, and total body 
irradiation. Yet, over time, Stacie said, ``We ended up bankrupt even 
with full insurance coverage.''
  Today, Hannah and Madeleine are happy, healthy 13-year-olds. 
According to Stacie:

       My children now have protections from insurance 
     discrimination based on their preexisting cancer condition. 
     They will never have to fear the rescission of their 
     insurance policy if they get sick. They can look forward to 
     lower health insurance costs and preventative care.

  We passed the Affordable Care Act for people like Stacie, Hannah, and 
Madeleine, and we passed it for some of the people we heard from today 
at an earlier meeting. I urge my colleagues to think about them and to 
think about Stacie and her children when they cast a vote to take away 
their rights and protections.
  Here is what the Affordable Care Act is about:
  It's about strengthening the middle class, honoring the 
entrepreneurial spirit of our country, putting medical decisions in the 
hands of patients and their doctors. This is about innovation, 
prevention, wellness. It's about the good health of America as well as 
good health care for America. It's about restoring and reigniting the 
American Dream and living up to the vows of our Founders of life, 
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It's about a healthier life, the 
liberty and freedom to pursue happiness as defined by your own passions 
and your own talents and your own skills and your own aspirations. If 
you want to start a business, if you want to be self-employed, if you 
want to change jobs, you are not job-locked because your decision about 
your job, your career, and your life has to be predicated by your 
health insurance company.
  That's what this freedom is in this 1 week from the Fourth of July 
that we celebrate with this bill.
  Now, to make the American Dream a reality for all, Republicans must 
stop

[[Page 11064]]

this effort to take away patient protections from Americans.
  Let's review again what the GOP is taking away from Americans. This 
is the takeaway from this debate:
  Take away, the Republicans say, protections from children with 
preexisting conditions; take away prescription drug savings for 
seniors; take away coverage for young adults; take away preventative 
health services for women; take away the no lifetime limits, which are 
so important to so many families in our country.
  We must work together on America's top priorities--job creation and 
economic growth. This bill creates 4 million jobs. It reduces the 
deficit. It enables our society to have the vitality of everyone rising 
to their aspirations without being job-locked, as I said.
  The American people want us to create jobs. That's what we should be 
using this time on the floor for, not on this useless bill to nowhere--
bill to nowhere--that does serious damage to the health and economic 
well-being of America's families.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill. Let us move forward 
together to strengthen the economy and to strengthen the great middle 
class, which is the backbone of our democracy.

       Hello, My name is Aracely Rodriguez. I am from San Diego, 
     CA and I work everyday to ensure that Latina women have 
     access to comprehensive affordable health services from a 
     trusted provider.
       I have the opportunity to experience first hand what a 
     difference the Affordable Care Act will be for women, 
     particularly women of color. It is hard for me to believe 
     that anyone would want to take away there critical new 
     benefits for women all over this country.
       We know the Affordable Care Act will make insurance more 
     affordable and provide more choices to women and their 
     families. As a result of the Affordable Care Act 14 million 
     women will be newly insured.
       Today, about 39 percent of Latinas are uninsured--that is 
     more than women of any other racial or ethnic group.
       The Affordable Care Act will ensure that women have access 
     to preventative health services such as mammograms and life 
     saving cancer screenings--and in August, many women will have 
     access to even more preventive health services such as well-
     women visits and birth control without co-pays or 
     deductibles.
       Access to birth control is a critical issue to many Latinas 
     and their families. Over 50 percent of all Latinas have 
     experienced a time in their lives when the cost of 
     prescription birth control made it difficult for them to 
     consistently use it.
       The Affordable Care Act will end gender discrimination once 
     and for all--so that women are not charged more for insurance 
     than men.
       This is what health reform means to women's health in our 
     communities. ``Being a woman is not a pre-existing 
     condition.''
                                  ____

       My name is Jamal Lee, I'm a native of Baltimore, MD. I own 
     Breasia Studios, LLC, a digital recording studio and an 
     audio, lighting, and video production company in Laurel, 
     Maryland and I'm a member of Small Business Majority's 
     network council.
       Until recently, I hadn't had health insurance since I was 
     21, when my mother had to drop me from her insurance plan. 
     Since I started my business in 2005 I hadn't been able to 
     afford insurance for myself, let alone my employees. I did 
     the best I could to counteract the lack of health insurance 
     by giving my employees safety training courses and assisting 
     with the heavy lifting. I couldn't risk losing an employee to 
     an on-the-job injury. But I finally was able to purchase 
     insurance through a state subsidy program and when the 
     Affordable Care Act was signed into law, I had another 
     windfall--the small business tax credits. The tax credits, 
     along with the state subsidy program, mean I can finally 
     afford health insurance for myself and everyone else in the 
     Breasia family. Knowing we're covered if something happens 
     has an enormous impact on morale and my employees' physical 
     and emotional well-being.
       Thanks to the tax credits in the healthcare law, I may even 
     be able to grow my business. And because I'm finally able to 
     offer benefits, my business has become much more competitive 
     when I look to hire. Repealing the law or defunding 
     provisions like the tax credits would be a huge blow to my 
     business.
                                  ____

       My name is Bill Cea and I am a retired public school 
     teacher from Boca Raton, Florida. I am here today on behalf 
     of the Alliance for Retired Americans.
       Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, I am one of 16 million 
     seniors on Medicare who has been able to get a free wellness 
     visit or preventive service. These are free--no co-pays, no 
     deductible.
       For me, it was an opportunity to go to my doctor's office 
     for a thorough evaluation of my health, review the medicines 
     I take, and discuss any questions and concerns I had.
       Not only is this good for your health, but it is also good 
     public policy. Medicare costs will be much lower if more 
     seniors are able to stay healthy and identify problems before 
     they become serious and costly.
       I know many seniors in Florida who are in the Medicare 
     coverage gap known as the ``donut hole.'' Under this new law, 
     these seniors are now paying $600 less per year for their 
     prescriptions. The law will keep closing more and more of the 
     ``donut hole'' until it completely goes away.
       The bottom line is this: the Affordable Care Act is good 
     for seniors. It helps us live longer, better lives. It helps 
     us be able to see a doctor and fill a prescription.
       These new Medicare benefits are making a big difference in 
     seniors' lives. Congress must not take them away. Please vote 
     against repealing the Affordable Care Act.
                                  ____

       My name is Emily Schlichting. I'm a 22-year-old auto-immune 
     disease patient from Omaha, NE. My life has drastically 
     changed for the better thanks to the Affordable Care Act, but 
     I have no guarantee that those changes will last. I would 
     like to share with you just how the repeal of health care 
     reform would affect my life.
       The summer before my senior year of high school, when I was 
     17, I began experiencing a lot of odd symptoms, and none of 
     my doctors could figure out what was causing them. My 
     symptoms started as open ulcers that would get painfully and 
     dangerously infected, and over the next two years intensified 
     to include high-grade fevers, mysterious raised lumps on my 
     legs, and swollen joints. After two years of visiting 
     multiple specialists, receiving MRI's and CAT scans, which 
     was topped off by a week-long stay in the hospital during my 
     first semester of college, I was finally diagnosed with 
     Behcet's Disease, a rare auto-immune condition.
       When your health care is tied directly to your employment, 
     your career opportunities become a lot more limited than 
     you'd imagine. Suddenly, taking a few years off to work at a 
     non-profit before graduate or law school was not an option 
     because I would have dropped off my parents' insurance plan. 
     Beyond that, I had to be extremely careful not to ever drop 
     off an insurance plan because I have a pre-existing 
     condition, which meant if I dropped off I would likely not be 
     able to get back on insurance. Paying for my own health care 
     out of pocket would bankrupt me. I regularly see two 
     rheumatologists, an ophthalmologist, a dermatologist, an 
     internist and other specialists for my condition. And that's 
     when things are going well.
       But, thankfully, with the passage of the Patient's Coverage 
     and Affordable Care Act my disease no longer gets to dictate 
     my life. The dependent coverage clause has been a godsend for 
     me; it allows me to stay on my parent's insurance until I'm 
     26; it gives me that buffer time to figure out what career I 
     want to pursue, and work for a couple years to gain 
     experience and valuable job skills instead of rushing into an 
     expensive graduate program just so I can stay on an insurance 
     plan. Allowing young people to stay on their parent's 
     insurance gives us new freedom to work toward our goals 
     without going uncovered. But even more important than that is 
     the fact that the Patient's Bill of Rights makes it so that I 
     can't be denied insurance simply because I have a disease I 
     can't control. And that . . . it's changed my life in so many 
     ways. I can't put into words how scary the idea of being sick 
     and bankrupt at 25 is, so you'll have to trust me on this 
     one. It's terrifying.
       I can tell you over and over how much health reform has 
     positively impacted my life, but I'm not the only young 
     American that has been positively impacted by this 
     legislation. I'm one example of millions and millions of 
     young Americans who have been helped by this bill, whether 
     through the Dependent Care clause or the Patient's Bill of 
     Rights or the combination of the two, like me. Young people 
     are the future of this country and we are the most affected 
     by reform--we're the generation that is the most uninsured. 
     We need the Affordable Care Act because it is literally an 
     investment in the future of this country.
                                  ____

       Good afternoon. My name is Christine Haight Farley and I'm 
     the proud mother of two wonderful boys with bright futures. 
     Unfortunately, one of my sons has Cystic Fibrosis. For him, 
     the Affordable Care Act is the key to that bright future.
       Cystic Fibrosis, or CF, is a genetic disorder that has no 
     cure at this time and few effective treatments. Among the 
     symptoms are persistent lung infections and breathing and 
     digestive difficulties.
       Because only 30,000 people in the U.S. have CF, treatment 
     for it tends to be extremely expensive. The average CF 
     patient spends $64,000 annually on health care, which is 15 
     times more than the average American. My son has to take 30 
     pills, 2 inhalers, and 3 nebulizers every day. We have a 
     machine in our home that he has to use twice daily to shake 
     the mucus from his lungs to prevent bacterial infections and 
     clear his airways. At night, he uses a feeding tube while he 
     sleeps in order to ensure that he gets the calories

[[Page 11065]]

     he needs, because CF patients don't properly digest food. 
     Even with this level of care, he is admitted to the hospital 
     every year for a week because of a bacterial infection that 
     requires heavy antibiotics administered through an IV. You 
     can imagine what all of this costs.
       And yet, we consider ourselves extremely lucky. We have 
     excellent health insurance that helps to cover the costs of 
     the various therapies and treatments he needs. But we have 
     always worried about what will happen when our son grows up 
     and has to find his own health insurance. As you can imagine, 
     our entire family was very happy when the Affordable Care Act 
     was signed into law. And we were ecstatic when the Court 
     upheld the law. But it makes me furious when I hear 
     opposition to the Affordable Care Act based on the 
     ``principle'' of states' rights. For me, that principle is 
     entirely outweighed by the principle that every child 
     deserves a bright future no matter what disease they happen 
     to be born with. Repealing this law would allow young people 
     with life-threatening illnesses to be denied health 
     insurance. I consider that unprincipled.
       A survey conducted last year by the Cystic Fibrosis 
     Foundation revealed that 31% of CF patients skipped doses or 
     took less than was prescribed due to cost concerns. It also 
     revealed that 16% of CF patients have reached an annual limit 
     on their health insurance coverage, and 3% have reached a 
     lifetime limit.
       I have heard about the challenges faced by young adults 
     with CF in finding health insurance. Young adults with CF are 
     often denied insurance coverage, and they face barriers in 
     their career as they make work and life choices that are 
     dictated by a limited set of health care options. That's not 
     the future I want for my son.
       Because of the Affordable Care Act, my son will be able to 
     get the care and treatment he needs. He will be able to stay 
     on our insurance until he's 26, and after that no insurance 
     company will be able to deny him coverage because of his pre-
     existing condition. And we won't have to worry about lifetime 
     limits on his coverage. Moreover, he won't have to base his 
     decisions about a job or a career on health care coverage.
       As a mom, there is nothing more valuable to me than my 
     children's future. I thank Leader Pelosi, the Congress, and 
     President Obama for giving that to my son and to the other 
     five million American children with pre-existing conditions.

                              {time}  1340

  Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Roskam), the chief deputy whip.
  Mr. ROSKAM. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, do you remember these lines when the President was 
pitching the health care bill? He said: If you like what you have, you 
can keep it. It will not add a single dime to the deficit. This is 
absolutely not a tax increase, and it will bring down premiums by 
$2,500 for the typical family.
  The gentlelady from California a moment ago spoke about things to 
take away. Let's take this away. Let's take away the reality of this 
new health care law that has done this.
  It is now clear that 20 million Americans are likely to lose their 
employer-based health coverage. The law will cost $2.6 trillion if 
fully implemented and add over $700 billion to the deficit. It has $500 
billion in new taxes that are triggered towards the middle class. And 
the average increase in family premiums doesn't go down $2,500; it goes 
up $1,200.
  Here is what we should take away. We should take away this albatross 
in the economy. We should repeal it. We should replace it.
  And here is the good news. The voters get the last word in November.
  Stay tuned.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, at this time, I yield 3 
minutes to our distinguished whip from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), a person 
who understands what it means to make it in America.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank my friend.
  Repeal it and replace it. For the 31st time, we have a repeal with no 
replacement, no alternative, no protection offered by my Republican 
colleagues--not one.
  You could, of course, introduce legislation that would say, We're 
going to repeal and replace with this. You haven't done it. So the 
American people have no idea.
  We're on the floor today with the distinguished gentleman from 
Michigan who himself, and his father before him a half a century ago, 
said: Americans need the security of having the guarantee of access to 
affordable quality health care.
  That's what we did.
  Madam Speaker, after the landmark Supreme Court ruling upholding the 
Affordable Care Act, Americans are ready to move on. Yet here we're 
again voting for the 31st time on a bill to repeal the health care law 
with no replacement, no alternative, no protections. That's not what we 
ought to be focused on.
  Americans want us to create jobs and to grow our economy. According 
to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll last week, 56 percent of Americans 
believe that opponents of the law should drop attempts to block its 
implementation. It's time for Republicans to end their relentless 
obsession with taking away health care benefits for millions of 
Americans.
  If this bill were to pass, insurance companies could once again 
discriminate against 17 million children with preexisting conditions. 
If it were to pass, 30 million Americans would lose their health 
insurance coverage. It would take away $651 each from 5.3 million 
seniors in the Medicare doughnut hole, making their prescription drugs 
more expensive. There would be 360,000 small businesses no longer able 
to claim a tax credit to help cover their employees. And 6.6 million 
young adults under 26 would be forced off their parents' plans and left 
to face a tough job market with the added pressure of being uninsured.
  The Republican repeal bill would take away these benefits and end 
these cost-saving measures. And after 31 votes, as I said, no 
alternative, nothing. There is no bill to read, no plan to follow, no 
security to offer. Repealing health care without an alternative would 
add over $1 trillion to deficits over the next two decades. I don't say 
that. The Congressional Budget Office says that.
  It is occurring in the place of a vote that we could be taking on 
legislation to create jobs. There is nothing about jobs this week, 
nothing last week, nothing scheduled for next week, or the week after. 
It's a waste of time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I yield the gentleman an additional 1 
minute.
  Mr. HOYER. Why is it a waste of time? Because the Republican majority 
knows that it will not pass the United States Senate, and it would not 
be signed by the President of the United States. It's a message bill. 
It's politics as usual. It is spurring the base while spurning the 
average working American.
  I outlined several proposals yesterday that are bipartisan in nature 
and ought to come to this floor immediately. It's called ``Make It in 
America.'' Let's vote on those bills. Let's vote on those bills to 
create opportunities, not this one to take them away.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill, and let us 
work together constructively for a better economic future for our 
people, more economic security, more health care security, and a better 
America.
  Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Hensarling), the Republican conference chairman.
  Mr. HENSARLING. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I've heard so many of my Democrat colleagues come to 
the floor and question why are we here to vote to repeal the 
President's health care program. Let me offer a few reasons.
  Number one, the American people don't want it. The longer people have 
to know this bill, the more intense they are in wanting to see it 
repealed.
  Reason number two is we hear from our friends on the other side of 
the aisle that the Supreme Court said it was constitutional. Well, the 
$5 trillion of additional debt that they and President Obama have 
foisted on the American people, it's constitutional, but, Madam 
Speaker, it is not wise.
  Seniors know that the President's health care program cut a half a 
trillion dollars out of Medicare. The Independent Payment Advisory 
Board is 1 of 159 boards, commissions, and programs that will get 
between Americans and their doctors. The Independent Payment Advisory 
Board, they're there

[[Page 11066]]

to help ration health care for seniors. That's another reason.
  I just heard the distinguished leader of the Democrat Party saying we 
should be talking about jobs and the economy. Madam Speaker, these are 
the very same people who told us the stimulus bill would help jobs, 
would help the economy. The stimulus bill was not a jobs bill. Repeal 
of ObamaCare is a jobs bill.
  Talk to any small business person across America that has 40, 45 
workers, and they will tell you: We're not going to go to 50. We're not 
going to do that. We're not going to hire those extra people.
  Talk to a tool and die manufacturer like I have in my district in 
Jacksonville, Texas. Half of their business comes from the medical 
device industry. You know what? He told me that ObamaCare, with the 
medical device tax, is going to force him to lay off workers.
  The employer mandate costs jobs. The Congressional Budget Office, 
which the gentleman from Maryland just cited, they, themselves, said 
this will cost 800,000 jobs. Private economists say it will cost 1 to 2 
million jobs. The Chamber of Commerce just did a survey of small 
businesses. Seventy-four percent said this makes it more difficult to 
hire.
  So after the President just turned in his 41st straight month of 8 
percent-plus unemployment, the worst jobs and economic performance 
since the Great Depression, maybe it's time for a true jobs bill, Madam 
Speaker, and a true jobs bill is to repeal ObamaCare. The American 
people do not want it. We can't afford it. Job creators are losing 
jobs.
  Let's repeal it, and repeal it today.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 
minutes to the distinguished gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. 
Clyburn), a leader in the Democratic Caucus.
  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Larson, thank you for yielding me the time.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this partisan charade to 
repeal the Affordable Care Act.
  This is the 31st time the majority has orchestrated a vote to repeal 
in whole or in part this very important and long-awaited law to 
increase accessibility and decrease the cost of quality health care.

                              {time}  1350

  Fortunately, the other body rejected this ill-fated effort the first 
30 times, and this 31st time will be no different. Why, then, are we 
having this debate?
  Do my Republican colleagues really believe that the majority of the 
other body is now ready to take from children born with diabetes the 
right to coverage under their parents' health care policies?
  Do my Republican colleagues really believe that a majority of the 
other body is now ready to take from children who are seeking 
employment the right to remain on their parents' health care policies 
up to their 26th birthday?
  Do my Republican colleagues really believe that a majority of the 
other body is now ready to take from a woman with breast cancer, or a 
man with prostate cancer, the right to keep their coverage once they 
get sick?
  The American people are smarter than that. They know the deal. They 
do not wish to be taken down this primrose path for the 31st time. The 
American people want stability in their lives, security for their 
families, and safety in their communities.
  Americans want us to stop jerking them around. They cannot have 
stability in their lives when we are shipping American jobs overseas. 
They cannot have security in their homes when they are fearful of 
getting sick. They cannot have safety in their communities when their 
teachers, policemen, and firefighters are being led off while we are 
engaged in symbolic episodes.
  I ask my colleagues to reject this charade, and let's vote to restore 
the American Dream.
  Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from South Carolina (Mr. Scott).
  Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, why are we here? We keep 
hearing that from my friends on the right--why are we here again 
today--and the reality of it is simple. The numbers keep changing, and 
it simply does not add up.
  A long time ago, in 2010, a long time ago, the estimates were $900 
billion will be the cost of ObamaCare. Two years later, now the 
estimate is at nearly $2 trillion.
  Well, how do we fund this? Everybody wants to know this. A program 
that is already financially strapped, Medicare. ObamaCare takes $500 
billion, $500 billion out of Medicare.
  What does that mean? Well, to me, as a grandson of a grandfather who 
is 92 years old, 92 years old, what happens when we take $500 billion 
out of Medicare?
  Well, the answer is clear. There is a 15-member board called IPAB, 
the Independent Payment Advisory Board, that will then recommend cuts 
to Medicare payments for doctors, hospitals, and other providers. In 
other words, my grandfather's health may be in the hands of a 15-member 
autonomous board who will decide what happens to his health. That's 
wrong.
  If you look in ObamaCare, what you will find is that $317 billion of 
new taxes, or a 3.8 percent tax on dividends, capital gains and other 
income, you will find $110 billion on the middle class for folks who 
like their health care and want to keep it? Oh, no. No, no, no. They 
can't keep it.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. CANTOR. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.
  Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina. Then you find another $101 billion, 
another $101 billion in annual tax on health insurance providers not 
paid for by those folks who make more than $200,000, but paid for by 
the hardworking, everyday folks like my granddaddy and my momma, those 
folks who struggled to make their ends meet, $100 billion of new taxes.
  But if you need a medical device, another $29 billion of new taxes. 
There is just not enough time, Mr. Leader, to talk about all the taxes 
that can't be articulated in just 2 minutes.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds.
  To respond here, as Mr. Andrews has very patiently and eloquently 
pointed out, the $500 billion that was just discussed by the previous 
speaker is something that the Republicans have voted on twice. Perhaps 
they didn't get a chance to read that bill as they sometimes claim 
about health care on this side.
  I yield 2 minutes to the vice chair of the Democratic Caucus, the 
gentleman from California, Xavier Becerra.
  Mr. BECERRA. I thank the chairman for yielding the time.
  It took 19 Presidents and 100 years dating back to President Teddy 
Roosevelt to open the door to all Americans, to quality health care 
that is centered on the patient-doctor relationship; 105 million 
Americans who will fall ill will no longer have a lifetime limit on the 
coverage they receive from their health insurance company.
  Up to 17 million children today who have preexisting conditions 
cannot be denied coverage by an insurance company; 6.6 million young 
adults under the age of 26 today can stay on the health care policy of 
their parents; 5.3 million seniors today received an average $600 to 
help cover the cost of their prescription drugs when they fall into the 
so-called doughnut hole; 360,000 small businesses in America, men and 
women who own their own businesses, got assistance through a tax credit 
to help provide health insurance coverage to their employees. Thirteen 
million Americans will benefit in insurance premium rebates from 
insurance companies, who must now show that they are spending the 
premium money they get from those Americans for health care, not on 
paying CEO salaries or not on profits--$1.1 billion national rebates 
for 13 million Americans.
  Perhaps the most important thing that most Americans don't recognize, 
the thousands of dollars that those of us who do have health insurance 
throughout America that we pay premiums to our insurance companies to 
cover care, not for us and our families, but for those of us who don't 
have insurance, the free-riders, that will start to drop. Those are the 
things that are at stake.

[[Page 11067]]

  Yet while it took 100 years for us to get to this point, it has taken 
our Republican colleagues only a year and a half to vote over 30 times 
to try to repeal these patient rights and protections, patient rights 
and protections that President Obama promised, this Congress delivered, 
and the Supreme Court affirmed.
  My Republican colleagues say that to repeal and replace these patient 
rights protections is the right way to go, but the only thing we have 
seen from them on this floor is all repeal and no replace. It's time 
for this Congress to get to work on the most important thing before us, 
getting Americans back to work. Let us vote this down and get to work.
  Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Washington, the Republican Conference vice chair, Mrs. McMorris 
Rodgers.
  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. I thank the leader for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation today to 
repeal ObamaCare because the control of health care and health care 
decisions belongs in the hands of patients, families, and their 
doctors.
  ObamaCare was a Big Government takeover of one of the most personal 
aspects in our lives; and I come to this debate as a mom, as a wife. I 
have two children, one that was born with special needs.
  I understand firsthand, talking to so many within the disabilities 
community, and I hear their fear, their fear of not being able to find 
the doctors, not being able to find the therapists within the Medicaid 
programs, within TRICARE because of the government. These are 
government programs that are too often making false promises.
  I think about my parents, who are signing up for Medicare, and the 
over $500 billion in cuts to the Medicare program. In eastern 
Washington, it is very difficult to find a doctor right now who will 
take a new Medicare patient.
  Because of ObamaCare, my family, like millions all across this 
country, are facing longer lines, fewer doctors, and lower quality of 
care. We can and we must do better. If we don't repeal this law, the 
results are going to be disastrous.
  CBO, the Congressional Budget Office, has already estimated 20 
million Americans will lose their employer-provided health insurance. 
Health care premiums continue to soar. Innovation, lifesaving 
technology and devices are being threatened.
  The first step to putting individuals and families back in charge of 
their health care is to repeal ObamaCare, and I urge support.

                              {time}  1400

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. It gives me great honor to yield 1 minute 
to the dean of the Connecticut delegation and a voice for compassion 
and who believes passionately about this health care law that's in 
effect for the American people, Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut.
  Ms. DeLAURO. What will happen if the House majority succeeds in 
repealing the Affordable Care Act? Seventeen million children with 
preexisting conditions will once again be denied coverage; 6.6 million 
under 26 will no longer be covered by their parents' insurance plan; 
insurers will be allowed to discriminate against women again, charge 
them more, deny them coverage because they've had a Cesarean section, 
and leave maternity and pediatric care out of their policies. The 
doughnut hole reopens, costing seniors billions of dollars; 360,000 
small businesses lose tax credits. Americans will have to pay out-of-
pocket for preventive services like cancer screenings and wellness 
exams, preventive services that could have saved the life of Celia, a 
50-year-old East Haven woman who died from breast cancer because she 
simply could not afford a mammogram. And 30,000 Americans will lose 
their health insurance and be left to their fate while every single 
Republican in this House will maintain their health care coverage.
  Repealing the Affordable Care Act is wrong. It was wrong the first 
time. It is wrong the 31st time. Welcome to Groundhog Day in the House 
of Representatives.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Emerson). The time of the gentlewoman 
has expired.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 10 
seconds.
  Ms. DeLAURO. This majority needs to stop working to put American 
families at risk and start working to make our economy healthy.
  Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Georgia, the Republican Policy Committee chairman, Dr. Price.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. I thank the leader.
  As a physician, one of the tenets of medicine is: first, do no harm. 
Sadly, the President's law does real harm.
  The Supreme Court has said that the law is constitutional. That 
doesn't make it good policy. It harms all of the principles that 
Americans hold dear as it relates to health care--it increases costs, 
decreases accessibility, lowers quality, and limits choices--the wrong 
direction for our country. It harms patients--especially seniors--by 
removing $500 billion from Medicare and having 15 unaccountable 
bureaucrats deny payment for health care services--decisions that 
should be made by patients and doctors, not by government. It harms 
doctors, over 80 percent of whom in a recent poll said that they would 
have to consider getting out of medicine because of this law. And it 
harms our economy, killing over 800,000 jobs and making it more 
difficult for small businesses, the job-creation engine of our Nation, 
to create jobs.
  And it's that much more frustrating because it doesn't have to be 
this way. There are positive solutions that don't require putting 
Washington in charge. There's a better way, and the first step to that 
better way is to repeal this law so we may work in a rational, 
deliberative, and, yes, bipartisan process for patient-centered health 
care where patients and families and doctors make medical decisions, 
not Washington.
  The President's law doesn't just harm the health of patients and 
seniors; it harms the health of our economy and our Nation. And the 
first step to replace is to repeal. And we can start today.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how 
much time we have on both sides.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Connecticut has 4\1/2\ 
minutes remaining, and the gentleman from Virginia has 5 minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. George Miller).
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  As has been said, for the 31st time in this Congress the House 
Republicans are trying to put insurance companies back in charge of 
America's health care. The House Republicans are preoccupied with 
taking away the patient protections while they're keeping their own 
protections.
  I recently got a letter from a woman named Annie who lives in East 
Bay of the San Francisco Bay area and she told me how vital this law is 
to her and her family. Her husband is self-employed. He has diabetes; 
and thanks to the Affordable Care Act, the husband will finally have 
access to quality, affordable coverage. Annie's daughter has a 
preexisting condition; and thanks to this law, the insurance companies 
won't be allowed to deny her daughter coverage. And Annie's son, a 25-
year-old, thanks to this law, is able to get on his mother's health 
care plan and save the family a great deal of money.
  But today, the Republicans want to take that all away. They want to 
take away all these protections and these benefits that American 
families haven't had in the past. Today, the Republicans in the 
Congress want to put the insurance companies back in the business--the 
same insurance companies that took away your policy when your child was 
born with a disability; the same insurance companies that didn't allow 
you to have cancer surgery because you had a lifetime limit or they 
decided you had a preexisting condition; the same insurance companies 
that decided that your children would be kicked off your policies when 
they're 18.

[[Page 11068]]

  I don't think we should go there, America. But that's what repeal 
brings you. That's the Republican plan: to give it all back to the 
insurance companies. After a hundred years of struggling, take it away 
and give the power to the people to determine their own health care 
needs and the kind of policies that they need.
  Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the majority whip, 
the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy).
  Mr. McCARTHY of California. I thank our respected leader for 
yielding.
  From the moment ObamaCare was introduced, House Republicans and the 
American people have expressed concerns about the quality, the cost, 
and the effect that it would have on jobs. We're here today because the 
Supreme Court ruling made one thing clear: it's up to Congress to do 
the repeal of the devastating tax increase and what it would effect 
upon our economy.
  As we all know, ObamaCare stands today because the Supreme Court said 
it's constitutional as a tax. The Chief Justice stated in his opinion:

       Members of this Court are vested with the authority to 
     interpret the law; we possess neither the expertise nor the 
     prerogative to make policy judgments. Those decisions are 
     entrusted to our Nation's elected leaders, who can be thrown 
     out of office if the people disagree with them. It is not our 
     job to protect the people from the consequences of their 
     political choices.

  But it is our job. And, unfortunately, we have learned over the past 
2 years this law has proven to be bad policy. And you know what's more 
important? It's filled with broken promises.
  We all remember President Obama's first promise: if you like the 
health care you have today, you can keep it. Well, that's not true. 
Eighty percent of those in small employer plans risk even keeping what 
they have today. The President also promised the law would bring down 
premiums by $2,500. But that's not true either because it's already 
been increased $1,200. The CBO says it will even rise higher.
  President Obama did promise as I sat right here and listened to him 
that he would not add one dime to the deficit. Well, you know what? 
That's not true either. It's going to add billions of dollars. 
President Obama promised he would not raise taxes on those making less 
than $250,000. It turns out ObamaCare includes 21 new taxes--12 of them 
on the middle class.
  Promises made, promises broken.
  There was another President from Illinois who was quoted as saying:

       As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We 
     must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our 
     country.

  Well, now is the time to listen to the American people. Now is the 
time to put the patient first while they are empowered. Now is the time 
to repeal and begin to bring this country back together with a quality 
of health care where the patient has the choice, not the government.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I yield myself 15 seconds as we ask the 
dean of the delegation to step forward and just say that aside from the 
platitudes that we've heard today as have been expressed by many on our 
side and some of the eloquence of debate that we've heard, we continue 
to see no plan from the other side but a persistent endeavor to repeal 
a plan that would cost more than a hundred billion dollars for the 
taxpayers.
  I yield 1 minute to the dean of the House of Representatives, the 
gentleman from Michigan, John Dingell.
  Mr. DINGELL. I thank my good friend for yielding.
  This is the gavel I used when I presided over the passage of Medicare 
and when I presided over the passage of legislation called ACA. This 
legislation takes care of the American people. I'm willing to loan it 
to my Republican colleagues if they'll use it in a good cause. It's 
even been on television with ``The Daily Show.''
  But what is important here is you're going to win the vote, but 
you're going to lose the case and the debate because the American 
people know what you're trying to take away from them. This is the 31st 
time we've voted on this. And it is the law.
  We have 44 days left to finish the business of this Congress, 
according to your whip's office. And interestingly enough, we're not 
going to deal with important questions like jobs, employment, the 
economy. We have the worst economy, which the President inherited, 
since the days of Herbert Hoover.

                              {time}  1410

  The American people are going to wonder why this Congress has not 
been doing it. Well, the reason is the Republicans have been wasting 
the public's time. And in those 44 days, they're not going to be able 
to do the Nation's business. The unemployed are going to continue to be 
unemployed.
  I'll loan you the gavel if you promise to use it for something good 
because it's a fine piece of wood and its tasks in terms of dealing 
with the public's concerns are not yet done.
  But having said these things, I say shame. You are wasting the time 
of the American people. You are wasting the time of the Congress.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I yield the gentleman an additional 1 
minute.
  Mr. DINGELL. You're wasting the time of the Congress. You've told us 
how you're going to repeal and replace. Where is the replacement? It is 
not to be seen. Where are the steps that you should be taking about 
jobs and opportunity for the American people? They are not to be seen.
  You have the gavel, use it. Use the leadership that the people have 
given you to lead the Congress of the United States. The Democrats will 
work with you. But you won't work with us, and you won't work for the 
American people.
  The time of dealing with the business of this Nation is short, and 
the needs of the American people are great. But nowhere are we seeing 
anything done by our Republican colleagues except to get up and 
denounce ObamaCare.
  I say have a more enlightened outlook and proceed to do the Nation's 
business well.
  Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close and reserve the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Connecticut has 2 minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
  I want to compliment both sides for the quality of debate that has 
occurred on this floor over the last couple of days.
  Today, we are here for the 31st time to act on repealing the 
Affordable Care Act. I give my colleagues credit for their persistence, 
but I'm deeply troubled by the obstinacy and the obstruction that they 
have demonstrated in an almost callow indifference to the needs of 
American families. Most importantly, the simple dignity that comes from 
a job that more than 14 million of our Americans are being denied, and 
we can't, in this great civil body, bring forward the President's bill 
that will create jobs.
  One of the people in my district, Signe Martin, said, do you not 
understand that you have plunged us into the dark abyss of uncertainty?
  The only thing that creates and corrects that situation is the simple 
dignity that comes from a job. And yet today, we spend our time on the 
floor talking about something where we should be working together, 
where Members on our side of the aisle, who would have preferred 
Medicare for everyone--the majority of our caucus would have been 
there--and yet embraced the compromise that extolled the virtues of the 
Romney plan in Massachusetts. But there is no room for compromise on 
the other side of the aisle.
  So we can only surmise this: that you would rather see the President 
fail than the American people succeed. Person after person on both 
sides of the aisle have gotten up and talked about the need for us to 
come together. You embrace most everything that's in this plan but 
would rather see the President fail than the Nation succeed.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  The gentleman from Virginia is recognized for 2 minutes.
  Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I introduced this legislation on behalf of 
my colleagues so that we may all be on

[[Page 11069]]

record following the Supreme Court's decision in order to show that the 
House rejects ObamaCare and that we are committed to taking this flawed 
law off the books.
  This is a law, Madam Speaker, that the American people did not want 
when it was passed, and it remains a law that the American people do 
not want now.
  First and foremost, ObamaCare violates President Obama's central 
promise to the American people that if they like their current health 
coverage, they can keep it. The vast majority of people in this country 
like the health care that they have and they want to keep it. But now, 
thanks to this law, patients across the Nation are losing access to the 
health care they like. Millions stand to lose health care coverage from 
their employers because ObamaCare is driving up costs and effectively 
forcing employers to drop health care coverage.
  Beyond that, ObamaCare takes away from patients the ability to make 
their own decisions and individual choices. Instead of letting patients 
and their families work with their doctors to decide the best care, 
ObamaCare puts Washington in the driver's seat to make health care 
choices for them and their families.
  Taking away choice, driving up costs, and making health care 
dramatically more expensive is not the prescription that Americans 
asked for.
  Madam Speaker, we know in this tough economy we need to be doing 
everything we can to help our small businessmen and -women. They are 
struggling because of uncertainty and facing the prospect of one of the 
largest tax hikes in history. ObamaCare increases that burden by adding 
new costs and more red tape. The new harsh reality is that creating new 
jobs and bringing on new employees may just be too expensive and too 
burdensome if this law is left to stand.
  The President said throughout the health care debate--as did former 
Speaker Pelosi and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle--that 
his health care law was not a tax. Well, we now know that the Supreme 
Court has spoken: It is a tax. Madam Speaker, it's time to stop all the 
broken promises and get back to the kind of health care people in this 
country want.
  It cannot be overlooked that ObamaCare also has disastrous 
implications for the moral fabric of our Nation. Despite the claims to 
the contrary, this law actually paves the way for Federal funding of 
abortion, violating many individuals' religious, ethical, and moral 
beliefs. It is also the basis from which President Obama launched an 
assault on the religious freedom of millions of Americans by requiring 
employers to cover items and services with which they--and perhaps 
their employees--fundamentally disagree.
  Washington-based care is not the answer. There is a better way to go 
about improving the health care system in this country. The American 
people want patient-centered care that allows them to make the very 
personal decisions about health care with their families and their 
doctors. They want to keep the care they like. They want to see costs 
come down, and they want health care to be more accessible. That is the 
kind of health care we on the Republican side of the aisle support, and 
frankly the type of care that the vast majority of the American people 
support.
  Madam Speaker, we have said since day one that we must fully repeal 
this law. Today, we can start over and we can tell the American people, 
we are on your side, we care about your health care, and we want 
quality care at affordable cost. We listened, and we've acted.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the 31st 
attempt to undermine the Affordable Care Act. Since the passage of the 
Affordable Care Act, tens of millions of Americans are already 
receiving better care as well as better value for their health care 
dollars. Already, Americans are benefiting from the provisions that 
have been implemented. In fact, 6.6 million young Americans now have 
health coverage until age 26, 105 million Americans are no longer 
facing lifetime limits on health benefits, and 17 million children with 
pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied coverage.
  Instead of focusing on jobs legislation, Republicans are once again 
trying to take away patient protections by seeking to repeal the 
Affordable Care Act. Instead of providing solutions to the provisions 
in the law that they would like to see changed, they would rather 
repeal the whole law and all the positive changes that come along with 
it. This constant push to take away patient protections is no longer 
based on logic, but is clearly a partisan political ploy to score cheap 
points at the expense of millions of Americans.
  We should turn our efforts to tackling our nation's larger problems, 
such as the economy and job creation. Let's move beyond this vote and 
demonstrate our commitment to the American people.
  My Republican colleagues have requested that we work together, but, 
as they seek to once again make America a country where millions of 
people are uninsured and unable to afford health care, their actions 
speak louder than their words.
  The Republican proposal to repeal the Affordable Care Act would 
affect thousands of El Paso residents who are already benefiting from 
the law, including the 52,000 children who are no longer denied 
insurance due to pre-existing conditions, the 2,900 seniors who have 
saved $1.8 million in drug costs, and the over 360 small businesses who 
received new tax credits to help them expand health care coverage to 
their employees.
  Republicans seem to forget how things were before the Affordable Care 
Act. For example, one family in my district faced significant health 
care related financial difficulties. They had a daughter with a severe 
disability who had undergone 17 surgeries, numerous hospitalizations, 
required constant care, and treatment that cost up to $2,000 a month. 
The couple's private insurance company implemented lifetime caps to 
prevent a major loss of profits at the expense of the health of the 
young girl. As a result, the family had to cover the medical expenses 
out of pocket and went bankrupt. While the current Affordable Care Act 
would prevent private insurance companies from using lifetime cap 
provisions to bar critical services to patients like this young girl, 
this couple's private insurance took advantage of the lax regulations 
at the time and left the family to fend for themselves.
  There are countless other examples of El Pasoans who faced similar 
situations. There are those who had been denied coverage because of 
pre-existing conditions and others who faced similar situations with 
insurance companies who took advantage of lax health care oversight. 
That was then--now, the Affordable Care Act gives families the 
opportunity to have the best life possible.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this misguided 
legislation.
  Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Affordable 
Care Act.
  This law is already providing relief to millions of Americans, and 
almost 20 percent of Californians.
  Already, nearly 3 million people with Medicare in California have 
received free preventive services or a free annual wellness visit with 
their doctor.
  The Affordable Care Act strengthens Medicare and reduces costs for 
seniors, by eliminating the donut hole that hurt many of our seniors in 
the past.
  Right now, there are 435,000 young adults in California under the age 
of 26 who now have coverage because they were able to stay on their 
parent's plan--like Ms. Sandra Rodriguez and her daughter of San 
Bernardino, California.
  And, over 8,600 uninsured California residents who were denied 
coverage because of a ``pre-existing condition'' are now insured 
because of this law.
  Finally, Americans are in charge of their health care, not insurance 
companies.
  Repeal takes our nation in the wrong direction. We need to move 
forward and ensure health equality for all.
  Mr. RUNYAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6079, the Repeal 
Obamacare Act. It has been over two years since the partisan Patient 
Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President 
Obama and the country is still looking for reform.
  When ObamaCare was introduced, the public was assured this was not a 
tax, but we have come to realize that this is, in fact one of the 
largest tax increases on the middle class in recent memory. We were 
told that ObamaCare would strengthen Medicare, but in fact the bill 
diverts $500 billion from Medicare to pay for other provisions of 
ObamaCare.
  The United States needs real common-sense healthcare reforms, which 
is why I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6079. We must work together 
in a bi-partisan manner to support reforms that will lower costs, like 
allowing

[[Page 11070]]

individuals to search for insurance across state lines and 
comprehensive tort reform, while continuing to protect individuals with 
pre-existing conditions and allowing children to remain on their 
parents' insurance plan.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to yet 
another effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Passed by the House 
and the Senate, signed by the president and confirmed by the Supreme 
Court, I do not support repeal of this law.
  While the Affordable Care Act is not perfect, it has had tremendous 
positive impacts already, eliminating pre-existing condition 
restrictions, allowing young adults to remain on their parents' 
insurance until age 26, and making prescription drugs more affordable 
for our seniors. For too long our system has needed to be reworked to 
achieve greater savings and improved patient outcomes. Now that the 
Supreme Court has found this law constitutional, we need to concentrate 
on implementing it as efficiently as possible. The statistics speak for 
themselves:
  105 million Americans no longer have a lifetime limit on their 
coverage.
  As many as 17 million children with pre-existing conditions are no 
longer threatened by denial of coverage.
  6.6 million young adults up to age 26 are covered under their 
parents' policies. Without that coverage nearly half of them would be 
uninsured.
  5.1 million seniors in the ``donut hole'' have already saved over 
$3.2 billion on prescription drugs.
  Madam Speaker, rather than practicing partisan politics, we owe it to 
our constituents to work together to ensure the Affordable Care Act 
continues to make health care more affordable and accessible for 
millions of Americans. Today's vote is another effort to take us in the 
wrong direction, and I urge my colleagues to oppose it.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, if the Majority succeeds in repealing the 
Affordable Care Act, as they have tried to do over thirty times now, it 
will be the women of America who are especially harmed.
  Insurance companies will be allowed to charge women more for the same 
coverage once again. They will be able to withhold coverage from women 
who have had a child or a C-section, or even who have been victims of 
domestic violence.
  Coverage for maternity and pediatric care will all disappear. Women 
will lose access to the free recommended preventive screenings that 
save lives. Subsidies to help working mothers buy insurance for their 
families will dry up.
  We know for a fact this will happen. According to the National 
Women's Law Center, over 90 percent of the best-selling plans in states 
that have not already banned gender rating still charge women more than 
men for the same coverage. This costs women and their families 
approximately $1 billion a year.
  And this is what the House Majority wants to bring us back to. We 
fought hard two years ago to put woman's health on an equal footing 
with that of her spouse, son, and brother at last. We should build on 
that, not throw it all away.
  If the Majority wants us to think they care about women's health, it 
is time for them to walk the walk. That means stopping these partisan 
political games, and allowing the fully constitutional reforms in the 
Affordable Care Act to work for women.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, when it comes to health care in 
the United States low-income and minority people are underserved and 
uninsured, with this in mind the health care reform legislation was 
passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on March 23 
of 2010. This law ensures that all Americans have access to quality, 
affordable health care. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office 
has determined that this law will provide coverage to 32 million more 
people, or more than 95 percent of Americans, while at the same time 
lowering health care costs over the long term and reducing the deficit 
by $138 billion through 2019, with $1.2 trillion additional deficit 
reduction in the following 10 years.
  When considering this law I cannot help but think of the 52,000 
children and families from the 7th district of Illinois that do not 
have coverage or have low-quality health care coverage. The Affordable 
Care Act provides the following benefits to these individuals:
  Improves coverage for 334,000 residents with health insurance.
  Gives tax credits and other assistance to up to 158,000 families and 
14,100 small businesses to help them afford coverage.
  Improves Medicare for 76,000 beneficiaries, including closing the 
donut hole. Extends coverage to 52,000 uninsured residents.
  Guarantees that 11,500 residents with pre-existing conditions can 
obtain coverage.
  Protects 1500 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health 
care costs.
  Allows 60,000 young adults up to the age of 26 to obtain coverage on 
their parents' insurance plans.
  Provides millions of dollars in new funding for 92 community health 
centers.
  Reduces the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health 
care providers by $222 million annually.
  The Affordable Care Act will help begin to fill the Medicare Part D 
drug doughnut hole to reduce the cost burden for 76,000 beneficiaries 
in my district. It's going to extend coverage to 52,500 uninsured 
individuals who currently go to the county hospital. This legislation, 
in my mind, is the most impactful health legislation that we have seen 
since Medicare and Medicaid. The positive impact of this law extends 
beyond my district, to every district in our country.
  The Affordable Care Act provides new ways to bring down costs and 
improve the quality of care for every individual, including those 
individuals who historically have had little to no health coverage. 
This is evident because each year more than 83,000 racial and ethnic 
minorities die as a result of lacking access to high quality and 
culturally competent health care. In turn, this cost us more than $300 
billion every year. I am so thankful that there is finally equal access 
to health care coverage. We should be proud that now children, the 
elderly, low-income, and minorities can equally access preventative 
services, primary physicians, and urgent care. I believe the expansion 
of coverage to these individuals has a major impact on the health of 
the current generation, as well as future generations.
  This law ensures that more than 17.6 million children with pre-
existing conditions can no longer be denied quality coverage. It also 
allows children to stay on their parents' health insurance up to age 
26. Now, 410,000 African-American and 736,000 Latino, young adults 
between the ages of 19-25, who would have been uninsured are now 
covered under their parents' health insurance. To date about 6.6 
million young adults up to age 26 have already taken advantage of this 
section of the law, and have to obtained health coverage through their 
parents' plan. Considering 3.1 million of those young adults would be 
uninsured without this coverage, this law has made a major impact in 
young peoples' lives. I believe it is imperative to the future well-
being of our country that we provide the upcoming generations with this 
form of adequate and equal healthcare coverage.
  In addition, the law now includes a section regarding funding to 
states for home visitation programs. The funding provides a critical 
opportunity for federal, state, and local communities to improve the 
health and well-being of children and families. Quality, early 
childhood visitation is a proven and cost-effective method to improve 
schools readiness, well-being, and health for children and families. I 
truly believe in the importance of this provision that is why we have 
worked bipartisantly for over five years to establish these evidenced 
based prevention grants to prepare our youngest citizens for success in 
school and life.
  Older adults spend more money on health related costs than any other 
age group and they have the most health related needs, for this reason 
I am grateful that this law extends coverage to older adults. I am 
proud that we can now rest assured because, 4.5 million African 
American and 3.9 million Latino elderly and disabled who receive 
Medicare will have expanded access to preventative services with no 
cost-sharing, including annual wellness visits with personalized 
prevention plans, diabetes and colorectal cancer screening, bone mass 
measurements and mammograms. In fact, during 2011, 2.3 million seniors 
had a free Annual Wellness Visit under Medicare. We have seen this law 
continue to help older adults during 2012, with already 1.1 million 
seniors receiving a free visit within the past six months. We should 
also note that in 2011, 32.5 million seniors received one or more free 
preventive services. I believe this is outstanding, and with 14 million 
seniors having already received these services this year, we can 
anticipate even more seniors being served by the end 2012.
  I am proud that the Affordable Care Act also includes the Community 
First Choice Option, it is a provision I have worked very hard on. This 
law is a major step forward to ending Medicaid's institutional bias by 
allowing states to give individuals with disabilities who are Medicaid 
eligible and who require an institutional level of care to choose 
between receiving care at home or in a nursing facility. Receiving 
community-based services and supports is critical to allowing people to 
lead independent lives, play an active role in day-to-day family life, 
have jobs, and participate in their communities. These are services our 
older adult population and citizens with disabilities need. It will 
keep them stronger and healthier longer.

[[Page 11071]]

  I am extremely happy that in 2014 Medicaid coverage will expand to 
include families with incomes at or below 133 percent of the federal 
poverty guidelines. Our public health care system is overloaded and 
stretched past the breaking point and the extension of Medicaid is 
critical to sustaining that system. This expansion will now include 
adults without dependent children living at home; this is a population 
that has previously not been eligible in most states. This ensures that 
all individuals have equal access to health care coverage. I will be 
watching closely to ensure that this provision of the law is 
implemented in a manner consistent with the best interests of the 
American people.
  The Affordable Care Act has expanded coverage to minority and low-
income individuals, who have historically had the lowest heath care 
coverage. In fact, it is estimated that by 2016, 3.8 million African 
Americans and 5.4 million Latinos, who would otherwise be uninsured 
will gain coverage. This means that by 2016, 6.2 million Americans who 
would otherwise have to go to the emergency room for a minor ear ache 
now has the opportunity to go to a primary physician at a medical home. 
Also, starting in August, millions of women will begin receiving free 
coverage for a package of comprehensive women's preventive services. 
This allows us to anticipate lower rates of prenatal medical issues and 
that future generations will be born healthy.
  The law also provides funding to improve quality of care and 
management of chronic diseases that are more prevalent amongst African 
Americans and Latinos. This will ensure that individuals with chronic 
diseases can receive the medication and care needed for their 
wellbeing. It is reassuring to know that 105 million Americans will no 
longer have a lifetime limit on their coverage.
  I feel that one of the greatest benefits of the Affordable Care Act 
are the laws that assists medical institutions in eliminating 
disparities that both African Americans and Latinos face in their heath 
care services. More funding is now going towards data collection and 
research about health disparities. The second part of this funding 
extends to increase racial and ethnic diversity of health care 
professionals and strengthen cultural competency training among 
providers. This will improve diversity and equality in the health care 
industry. In fact it is estimated that by 2014 the percentage of 
African Americans in the National Service Corps will increase from 6 
percent to 18 percent, and the percentage of Latinos will increase from 
5 percent to 21 percent. This is an amazing improvement that I am proud 
to witness during my service. I hope that this increase in diversity 
inspires and empowers the next generation of doctors, nurses and 
surgeons to advocate for even further health care equality for all 
people.
  Mr. ISRAEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in opposition to the 
Patients' Rights Repeal Act.
  House Republicans began the majority by passing a budget that takes 
Medicare away from seniors. They are now trying to end their majority 
by passing a repeal of patient protections for everyone else in the 
middle class.
  With this bill, they will take away a woman's protection against an 
insurance company's decision to deny coverage because breast cancer is 
a preexisting condition. They will take away coverage of kids on their 
parent's policy until the age of twenty-six. They will take away the 
prohibition against lifetime and annual limits.
  House Democrats want to move forward to pass comprehensive 
legislation to help small businesses create jobs and strengthen the 
middle class. House Republicans want to move backwards to repeal 
patient protections in order to help big insurance companies and weaken 
the middle class.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, when I first ran for Congress 
in 1992, I pledged to my constituents that I would use the political 
process to improve the lives of people and communities of the Second 
Congressional District of Georgia. For this reason, I supported the 
Affordable Care Act in 2010 because I believed that it would make a 
significant difference in making health care more affordable and more 
accessible.
  I still believe in the effectiveness of the law more than two years 
after its enactment. In fact, it is needed now more than ever. My 
District has high rates of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and 
obesity. Many of my constituents cannot get health insurance because 
they have reached their lifetime limit or they have a pre-existing 
condition. I also have heard from seniors who cannot afford their 
prescription drugs because they have fallen into Medicare's ``donut 
hole,'' small businesses owners who find the cost of health insurance 
to be too high, and residents of rural communities who must travel long 
distances to find a doctor.
  They deserve better. We all do.
  Repealing the Affordable Care Act would be a significant setback for 
these Georgians as well as the entire nation. According to a Washington 
Post editorial Tuesday, since the health reform law was enacted, 
increases in national health expenditures have slowed, saving Americans 
more than $220 billion. In Georgia alone, the closure of the ``donut 
hole'' in coverage to date has saved Medicare recipients over $13 
million. Already over three million residents are free from worrying 
about lifetime limits on coverage. The law's insurance reforms, which 
already have taken effect, will allow 123,000 young Georgians stay on 
their parents' plan until age 26 and ensure the protection of over 26 
million children nationwide with pre-existing conditions.
  Now that it has been upheld by the United States Supreme Court, we 
must work together to ensure that the Affordable Care Act remains the 
law of land so that America can be a healthier, more prosperous, and 
more just nation.
  What I said two years ago still holds true today. As a man of faith, 
I know that Jesus taught us to provide and care for others, especially 
the ``least of these,'' or those that have few advocates. I believe He 
would take care of this immediate need of the people and not let them 
fend for themselves. This law goes a long way toward living up to this 
moral principle, and I urge my colleagues to oppose its repeal.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I have some simple questions 
for those who support Obamacare . . . how does the hiring of over 
16,000 new IRS agents provide anyone greater access to care? How does 
hiring 16,000 new IRS agents improve the doctor patient relationship? 
How does hiring 16,000 new IRS agents lower the cost of healthcare?
  The fact is those new IRS agents won't do anything to improve 
healthcare because IRS agents don't help deliver affordable and 
accessible healthcare--they collect taxes and Obamacare is definitely 
chock full of new taxes to be collected.
  Taxes on tanning, taxes on healthcare policies the government deems 
are too good, taxes on employers for providing health insurance the 
government deems is not good enough, taxes on income, taxes on drug 
manufacturers, taxes on medical devices, and even a massive new tax for 
not having health insurance.
  While President Obama has done little to help create the private 
sector jobs we so desperately need in this country he has certainly 
done a lot to promote full employment among tax collectors.
  The fact of the matter is those who wrote this bill sold it to 
Congress and the American people saying that the individual mandate was 
not a tax, and it is a massive new tax. And I would hazard to say that 
if it was sold as what it truly is then it never would have passed 
either the House or Senate.
  Just before passage then Speaker Pelosi famously said we had to pass 
the bill to find out what's in it. Well the American people have found 
out what is in Obamacare and they don't like it one bit. Sure there may 
be parts that they like, but not the full trillion dollar monstrosity.
  We can do better and the American people certainly deserve better.
  Let's repeal this bill today, start over and give the American people 
what they want . . . legislation that supports private sector solutions 
to reduce costs, improve access to care and strengthen the doctor 
patient relationship out of the reach of your local IRS agent.
  Mr. RIVERA. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the ``Repeal of 
Obamacare Act'' before us today. I commend our Leadership for bringing 
this bill to the Floor so quickly to enable us to start the important 
process of repealing and replacing this job-destroying healthcare law. 
Our vote today demonstrates once again our commitment to our 
constituents that we will protect them from government interference 
with their relationship with their doctors and fulfills our promise 
that we will protect all Americans from new taxes on the middle class.
  I strongly support healthcare reform, for example, by offering tax 
credits for individuals to purchase healthcare insurance, by allowing 
small businesses to pool together beyond state lines, thus gaining 
bargaining leverage to purchase more affordable health insurance 
policies for their workers, and by prohibiting insurance companies from 
denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
  As we begin the process of replacing Obamacare with commonsense 
reforms that lower healthcare costs for families and small businesses 
and increase access to affordable quality care, we must ensure that the 
replacement includes critical Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico and the 
other territories. The

[[Page 11072]]

funding, originally added to Obamacare legislation because it was the 
sole legislative vehicle available at the time, has just begun to 
reverse federal policy that has treated our fellow Americans in Puerto 
Rico inequitably. Where previously Washington paid less than 20 percent 
of Puerto Rico's Medicaid costs, the federal government is now paying 
35 percent of the cost of the program. This is a step in the right 
direction, but still far below equal treatment. By comparison, the 
federal government pays nearly 70 percent for the District of 
Columbia's program and 75 percent for Mississippi's program. How can we 
continue to ask the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico to do their share in 
service to our country--with hundreds of thousands serving honorably in 
the U.S. military--when the federal government isn't doing its part to 
treat them fairly in federal programs like Medicaid? This isn't about a 
hand out, but rather a level playing field to provide a fair and just 
level of medical care to every American citizen.
  I have voted to repeal Obamacare, and will continue to do so until we 
prevail, and intend to work on reform measures that include access to 
high quality health care at affordable costs. Ensuring the current 
levels of Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico and the territories must be 
part of that reform effort.
  Mr. MARCHANT. Madam Speaker, the Supreme Court ruled that the 
individual mandate was Constitutional. But the cost of the Patient 
Protection and Affordable Care Act, or ``Obamacare'', remains 
grievously unsustainable. Unless Obamacare is repealed, either in whole 
or in part, America's healthcare system will prove to be a ticking 
fiscal time bomb.
  Regardless of the Obama plan, healthcare payment rates across 
Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance are alarming. According to 
the Congressional Budget Office, between 1975 and 2005, annual per-
person health spending in the United States rose, on average, 2 
percentage points faster than per-person economic growth. In other 
words, healthcare costs have outpaced our national income.
  Now add Obamacare: massive new entitlements, additional dependence on 
government, tax hikes, bureaucratic micromanagement of healthcare, and 
the possibility of Congress taxing other forms of inactivity in the 
future. In 2014, Obamacare will significantly expand Medicaid to 
childless adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the poverty level. 
If states don't expand Medicaid, 11.5 million very poor adults will be 
on their own. That is more than the entire population of Greece.
  Americans that fail to follow the healthcare mandate will be required 
to pay a penalty, or an Obamatax, starting in 2014. When fully phased 
in two years later, the penalty will be $695 for each uninsured adult 
or 2.5 percent of family income, whichever is greater, up to $12,500.
  Madam Speaker, America is facing a genuine healthcare crisis. But our 
country also has 13 million unemployed and millions of others are 
struggling. They simply can't afford a new tax imposed by Washington. 
There is a way to improve both our healthcare system and fiscal 
outlook, and it starts by repealing Obamacare.
  Mr. PLATTS. Madam Speaker, today's vote by the U.S. House of 
Representatives to repeal the health care law will ensure continued 
scrutiny of a complex law that was wrongly rushed through the 
legislative process and largely remains a mystery to a vast majority of 
the American people. Given that rising health care costs are the main 
driver of our Nation's long-term debt crisis, it is imperative for 
Congress to fully debate a policy that will have such dramatic 
ramifications for future generations of Americans.
  The health care law was enacted more than two years ago. Yet health 
care costs continue to rise. Uncertain business owners are hesitant to 
invest and hire workers. And major portions of the law--including 
higher taxes on businesses, increased taxes on certain medical devices, 
and countless new regulations--have yet to even be implemented. This 
massive new entitlement program will cost taxpayers more than $2 
trillion per decade, further burdening our already crippling national 
debt.
  Truly reforming our health care system requires a common-sense, step-
by-step approach that will lower costs and better ensure access to 
affordable, quality health care. Opponents of the health care law have 
long proposed alternative solutions--such as allowing small businesses 
to form health insurance pools and join together across state lines to 
purchase health insurance, medical malpractice liability reform, and 
insurance reforms addressing the issues of pre-existing conditions and 
allowing young adults to remain on their parents' plans--that would 
achieve these goals.
  The status quo in health care is clearly unacceptable. A narrow 
majority of the Supreme Court may have upheld the constitutionality of 
the health care law last week, but that does not change the fact that 
this law is clearly bad public policy. Congress must continue to press 
for true, common-sense reforms focused on lowering the cost of health 
care for all Americans.
  Mr. POSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise to express my support for the bill 
before us today that would repeal the health care law. The new health 
care law is unworkable, unaffordable, compromises the doctor-patient 
relationship, and undermines individual liberty and personal freedom. 
It was for these reasons and others that I opposed the bill two years 
ago.
  Let's remember that this health care law was drafted behind closed 
doors and the American people were told by congressional leaders at the 
time that Congress had to pass it so that the American people could see 
what was in the 2,000-page bill. Americans have begun to see more of 
what is in the bill, and according to the latest polls most Americans 
want the law repealed. Dozens of states, including Florida, have 
indicated that they will do what the Supreme Court has said they can 
do, and that is to refuse to implement key components of the law.
  For America's senior citizens there are key provisions of this law 
that are of great concern. The Congressional Budget Office's March 1, 
2010 analysis concluded that the health care law cuts Medicare spending 
by at least $500 billion. It also leaves in place the flawed Medicare 
physician payment system that threatens senior's access to physicians 
as it allows a 33% reimbursement cut to take effect on December 31, 
2012. This will harm seniors' access to medical care.
  The new health care law makes deep cuts to Medicare Advantage plans, 
which will result in millions of seniors' losing their MA health plans. 
In fact, millions of seniors' were scheduled to lose their MA plans on 
December 31, 2012, except that the Administration ``found'' money to 
plug the hole for one year so that seniors would not receive a letter 
two months from now telling them that their MA health plan would no 
longer be available to them. Seniors are also very concerned about the 
Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), which has broad unbridled 
authority to unilaterally eliminate Medicare benefits. IPAB must be 
repealed.
  Americans were promised that they would be able to keep their current 
health care plan, but millions of Americans would have already lost 
their plan had a temporary waiver not been granted to simply delay 
their loss until next year. Millions more will lose their current 
coverage and be forced into government directed health care in 2014 if 
this law is not repealed.
  Americans were told that the law would save money and would ``only'' 
cost $938 billion. However, the non-partisan Congressional Budget 
Office (CBO) recently raised the 10-year cost of the law to $1.8 
trillion. The United States has a national debt of over $16 trillion 
and we simply cannot afford the new law, as it will continue to saddle 
future generations of Americans with debt they cannot possibly repay.
  We were promised the health care law would ``lower your premiums by 
$2,500 per family'' by the end of 2012. But even the Kaiser Family 
Foundation's 2011 Annual Health Benefits Survey found that premiums 
increased by over $1,200 in just the first year since the law's passage 
and they expect premiums to continue climbing.
  We do not need the health care law's 159 new federal agencies and 
boards that are being created to stand between you and your doctor. 
Twelve of the nearly two dozen new taxes included in the law will 
specifically increase taxes on those making less than $250,000 a year. 
These new taxes will not make health care any cheaper, but will further 
add to the tax burden that is straining family budgets and hampering 
the ability of small businesses to create jobs.
  While I believe that there are shortcomings in our health care 
system, this health care law was the wrong prescription, and it is for 
that reason it should be repealed and replaced with a plan based on 
individual choice, personal liberty and economic freedom.
  Mr. MARCHANT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to 
join me in voting for H.R. 6079. Though the Supreme Court opinion 
didn't strike down the entire law, it did prohibit the federal 
government's ability to coerce state governments in accepting major 
expansions to Medicaid.
  Now that many states have indicated they will not accept the Medicaid 
expansion, this seriously undermines a major premise of Obamacare. Even 
before the Supreme Court's

[[Page 11073]]

ruling on Medicaid, patients were already seeing higher premium costs 
and fewer choices.
  We need to start over and craft a health care plan that will actually 
increase patient access and lower premiums. We can do this while 
working with our state governments rather than trying to force a 
Washington-knows-best plan.
  Mr. FLAKE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of repealing the 
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
  It's no secret that the U.S. health care system is broken; however, 
instead of strengthening the system, the Affordable Care Act took a 
top-down approach that will leave patients and taxpayers worse off than 
they were before.
  I believe Americans should have access to effective and affordable 
care. This can best be accomplished by using market forces to improve 
quality and control cost.
  I support allowing individuals to purchase health insurance across 
state lines and the expansion of associated health plans, health 
savings accounts, and other free-market reforms that allow individuals 
to be in control of their own healthcare decisions.
  Americans have a choice when they buy a car or go to the grocery 
store. Why can't they have that same choice when purchasing something 
as important as health care?
  I also support allowing small employers and individuals to pool 
together to purchase health insurance, thereby giving them greater 
buying power to negotiate when purchasing a plan.
  Expanding health savings accounts not only gives individuals maximum 
flexibility in determining how to spend their health care dollars, but 
it encourages saving and helps reduce the overall cost of health care.
  Finally, I support reforming the tax code so individuals get the same 
incentives that employers currently have for purchasing health care.
  These measures will make health care more affordable, and unlike the 
law we are repealing today, they are sustainable.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the 
measure before us today. While the Supreme Court may have ruled 
Obamacare constitutional on the basis that it is a tax, that doesn't 
make it good policy. We owe it to the American people to repeal this 
middle-class tax hike and instead enact real reform that will rely on 
reasonable and proven market-driven solutions that do not trample on 
individual rights.
  As we craft our replacement to Obamacare, however, we must protect 
one positive provision that was enacted as part of the law: the 
Medicaid funding included beginning addressing the longstanding 
disparity for Puerto Rico and the other U.S. territories compared to 
the states. This funding represented a shared commitment between the 
federal and territorial governments to ensure the fiscal solvency of 
the territories' Medicaid programs. Although this additional funding 
was added to Obamacare legislation, it represents the culmination of 
years of discussion between the federal government and the territories, 
and is entirely separate from the rest of the law. If this funding is 
not replaced, Puerto Rico will once again be forced to cover 80 percent 
of the cost of its Medicaid program--a burden that would be 
unfathomable and fiscally unsustainable if placed on the states. If 
hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans have willingly served in the 
U.S. military with honor, wearing the U.S. flag proudly on their 
uniform, then surely we can treat the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico 
fairly in Medicaid.
  When Puerto Rico Governor Fortuno took office in 2009, he inherited a 
$3.3 billion budget deficit. A true fiscal conservative, he made the 
difficult choices necessary to reduce this deficit by 90 percent in 
FY2013. Failure to replace this Medicaid funding would not only have 
dire consequences for the neediest residents of Puerto Rico, but would 
also jeopardize the Island's economic recovery and marginalize the 
tough choices and sacrifices made by Governor Fortuno and the 3.7 
million U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico over the past 3\1/2\ years. With 
this in mind, I would like to express my commitment to work with my 
colleagues to ensure we restore this vital funding.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 724, the previous question is ordered on 
the bill.
  The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, further 
consideration of H.R. 6079 is postponed.

                          ____________________