[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 17293]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               OBAMACARE MISREPRESENTATIONS AND SOLUTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Brooks) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BROOKS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, on January 15, 2009, in order to 
get ObamaCare passed, President Obama promised America:

       If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep 
     your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no 
     matter what.

  On June 28, 2012, in order to get reelection votes, President Obama 
promised:

       If you're one of the more than 250 million Americans who 
     already has health insurance, you will keep your health 
     insurance. This law will only make it more secure and more 
     affordable.

  President Obama, in his recent apology for his deceptions, has not 
stopped the cancelation of millions, millions of Americans' health 
insurance plans nor slowed the ObamaCare-caused skyrocketing health 
insurance costs.
  ObamaCare forces families to, on the one hand, pay higher ObamaCare 
health insurance costs and cut spending for food, shelter, and clothing 
or, on the other hand, go without health insurance and pay tax 
penalties while risking health-caused bankruptcy.
  Montana Democrat Senator Max Baucus, the Senate sponsor of ObamaCare, 
warned us earlier this year that ObamaCare was a train wreck waiting to 
happen. Well, the verdict is in. ObamaCare is dysfunctional and 
threatens the lives and finances of millions of real hardworking 
Americans.
  Mark Templeton of Huntsville, Alabama, writes:

       I just received a notice from BlueCross/BlueShield of 
     Alabama yesterday, indicating my Total Blue plan was no 
     longer available due to the Affordable Care Act. My family 
     coverage increased from $450 a month to $1,187 for similar 
     coverage. They were kind enough to offer the more affordable 
     and considerably worse Silver plan for only $937 per month. I 
     don't qualify for any subsidies, so this will directly hit my 
     household finances. Please make every effort to stop the 
     Affordable Care Act from affecting any more Tennessee Valley 
     families and businesses.

  Jessica Moore of Ardmore, Alabama, writes:

       I am writing about the not-so Affordable Care Act. My 
     health insurance premiums are going up by 118 percent with 
     BlueCross/BlueShield. The Health Care Marketplace will be of 
     no help to me, as I make ``too much'' money. I am a single 
     Iraq veteran. I am my sole income. I am perfectly healthy. 
     The amount which my premium was raised is how much money I 
     have left in the bank at the end of the month. I do not live 
     beyond my means. I am a faithful taxpayer. The Affordable 
     Care Act premium hikes are not affordable to me, nor to many 
     other honest taxpayers. Please help the already ``taxed to 
     the max'' middle class on this issue.

  ObamaCare has caused millions of Americans to receive health 
insurance cancelation letters, leaving them to struggle with how to 
protect their families. Thanks to ObamaCare, a year from now, tens of 
millions more Americans risk losing their health insurance once 
ObamaCare's employer mandate kicks in.
  Mr. Speaker, while ObamaCare is dysfunctional and threatens American 
lives, there is a better way. The American Health Care Reform Act, 
which I have cosponsored, unleashes the power of free enterprise 
competition to deliver quality health care at prices Americans can 
better afford.
  Among other things, this bill, first, forces lower health care costs 
by legalizing interstate competition among insurance companies; second, 
reforms medical malpractice laws so that health insurance is paying for 
health care, not frivolous lawsuits; third, lets Americans deduct 
health care costs and gives Americans a standard deduction for health 
insurance costs; four, protects Americans with preexisting conditions 
by bolstering State-based high-risk pools.
  Mr. Speaker, health care decisions should be made by doctors and 
patients, not Washington bureaucrats. Quite frankly, Big Brother 
bureaucrats have no business butting in and forcing Americans to buy 
health insurance Americans cannot afford or do not want.
  ObamaCare denies hardworking American taxpayers their right--yes, 
their right--to choose the health care policy best tailored to their 
needs. Mr. Speaker, ObamaCare should be repealed, and America should 
debate health care solutions based on truth, not deception.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President.

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