[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15856]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  INTRODUCING THE PATIENT FREEDOM ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Jolly) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, once again, the President's health care plan, 
known to the Nation as ObamaCare, is in the news, both because it is 
open season for individuals to choose their level of health care 
coverage, but also because of the now-made-public suggestion by a 
senior architect of ObamaCare that the administration would have to 
rely on, in his words, the ``stupidity'' of the American people to get 
the President's plan enacted.
  Those are shameful words that disrespect every American and have 
rightfully been condemned by Members on both sides of the aisle. I 
think the American people know exactly what is in the bill.
  We are reminded of it every day that we now live in a country where 
our government will fine you--fine you--for not having the health care 
coverage that it deems adequate. It is called the individual mandate, 
and it is a classic government-knows-best ruse, but this time with the 
threat of fines and penalties on individuals who don't comply or, in 
the interpretation of the Supreme Court, with new taxes just for you.
  These fines will steadily increase each year. By 2016, it is 
estimated that 6 million Americans will be subjected to individual 
fines from their government.
  I take a very different view than many in the current administration. 
First, I think the American people are smart enough to make health care 
coverage choices for themselves. Second, I don't believe our government 
should be mandating on individuals the health care coverage that is 
right for them and their family, particularly under the threat of 
penalties and fines and additional taxes.
  That is why this week I have introduced legislation to rescind the 
individual mandate in ObamaCare as though it never happened. Unlike the 
906-page bill that was ObamaCare, this bill, the Patient Freedom Act, 
is merely two pages. Every Member of this body can know what is in this 
bill before we pass it.
  Many of us believe that a full repeal of ObamaCare is appropriate and 
right for the country, but it is foolish for us to think that the 
President will sign a repeal of his signature legislative achievement. 
That is why my bill covers only one provision, the individual mandate.
  Let's have a government that, again, trusts the people to make their 
own discussions, that does not suggest, in the terms of this now-famous 
adviser to the administration, that the American people are too 
``stupid'' to make their own health care coverage choices. Let's 
empower people with true patient freedom, true health care coverage 
choice.
  This modest compromise is very simple. It says to the American 
people, ``If you like your ObamaCare, you can keep it, but if you 
believe that you should have different coverage, you are empowered, you 
are entrusted, you have complete control over the health care coverage 
discussions for you and your family.''
  We are entering a period in January when compromise will be required 
for this Congress and this President to work together. This is a simple 
two-page bill that says the American people are indeed smart enough to 
make their own health care decisions for themselves.
  I urge my colleagues to consider this commonsense bill. Let's put it 
on the President's desk and ask him to do what is right for the 
American people.

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