[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5992]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, last week one of our most senior 
Democratic colleagues, a primary author of ObamaCare, referred to the 
law's implementation as ``a train wreck.'' He warned: ``Small 
businesses have no idea what to do.'' They have no idea ``what to 
expect.'' He also expressed concern that the health insurance exchanges 
for consumers and small businesses could turn into a fiasco. I agree 
with him. I think just about everyone in my conference agrees with him.
  Here is the difference. This is not some grand revelation to 
Republicans. We have been saying this since day one. We said a 
government takeover of health care would raise health care costs and 
premiums. We said it would raise taxes on the middle class. We said it 
would force millions of Americans to give up insurance plans they liked 
and wanted to keep. We said it would bury families and small businesses 
in a literal mountain of regulations, and we said it would cost our 
country jobs. We shouted these things from the rooftop throughout the 
health care debate. A few of us have even said it would be a ``train 
wreck.''
  Until now, the President's allies mostly ignored or brushed off our 
concerns. But do you know what. With each passing day, it appears 
clearer and clearer that we were right to sound the alarm.
  Only now are Washington Democrats starting to come around to the 
reality of what they passed. Perhaps they thought a ``yes'' vote on 
this bill would somehow magically cure our country's health care 
challenges without any cost increases, without hurting the middle 
class, and without the massive, unnavigable bureaucracy that is being 
erected literally as I speak.
  That is the problem. That is why we are stuck in this mess. Our 
constituents did not send us here to robotically fall in line behind 
bad legislation and then pat ourselves on the back for ``doing 
something.'' They sent us here to eventually elevate public policy and 
to think about the medium- and long-term consequences of our actions.
  Look, ObamaCare's mounting challenges shouldn't come as much of a 
surprise. It is not just that Republicans have warned about them for so 
long or that experts echoed our concerns. A lot of the problems in this 
2,700-page bill should have been pretty self-evident right from the 
start.
  In some ways I am glad to see more and more Washington Democrats and 
their allies come around to the reality of what they have done.
  Earlier this year Democrats helped us repeal the CLASS Act, for 
instance. Last month, the Senate voted overwhelmingly, 79 to 20, to 
repeal the law's job-killing medical device tax. Last week we saw a 
union reverse course and come out for repeal of the law. I would hope 
more would come out and join us in repealing it in its entirety, root 
and branch. I am optimistic we will see more common sense take root in 
the days to come as the country learns more about this law and the harm 
it is causing families, businesses, and taxpayers. I suspect we will.
  When administration officials are reduced to hoping that the law's 
implementation will not amount to ``a third world experience,'' then 
you know there is trouble on the way.
  That is why I have also called on the President to address the Nation 
and give an honest accounting of what many Americans can expect as this 
law starts to come online: the higher costs, the premium increases, the 
taxes, the loss of health care plans they like and want to keep. All of 
that is happening. We asked him to do this in his State of the Union 
speech. He should have, because the longer he waits to lay out the 
truth for the American people, the more people are going to get 
blindsided by all of this. That is simply not right. The President 
shouldn't waste any more time. In the meantime, Americans can rest 
assured Republicans will keep working to repeal this law. I hope more 
of the President's allies will join us in this fight as well, because 
all of us owe our country better than this.
  For the sake of my constituents in Kentucky and for the sake of 
Americans across the country, I urge my friends on the other side to 
join with Republicans and stop the train wreck, stop this train wreck 
before things get even worse.


                        Marketplace Fairness Act

  On the matter currently before the Senate, I wish to make the 
following observation about the Internet sales tax bill. Earlier this 
week I announced my opposition to this bill, which I don't think is in 
the best interests of Kentuckians or its taxpayers in general. I know 
everyone in the Chamber doesn't feel that way. This bill may pass. 
There are Members on both sides who support it. Before it does, I hope 
the Senate will at least have some chance to offer amendments.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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