[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9654]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     PROTECT MEDICAL INNOVATION ACT

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 160, the 
Protect Medical Innovation Act, that will be considered on the floor 
this week.
  One of the most fundamental flaws of what is known as the Affordable 
Care Act is trying to offset the trillion-dollar price tag by imposing 
an arbitrary 2.3 percent tax on lifesaving medical devices, such as 
pacemakers and heart valves. It actually discourages the type of 
innovation that will improve our healthcare system for people needing 
these devices.
  Hindered with these new high costs, our small businesses are finding 
it increasingly difficult to innovate, curtailing medical advancements 
and often delaying the availability of new treatments and cures for 
patients. I personally visited a number of these companies and 
understand how important their work is to improving our healthcare 
system.
  Taxing innovation is not a 21st century healthcare solution. This 
devastating tax is reported to have already caused a net loss of over 
33,000 jobs.
  American families and small businesses deserve better, and the House 
is committed to advancing commonsense ideas to ease the burdens of the 
President's healthcare law. H.R. 160 is one of those solutions.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in support of repealing this job- and 
innovation-killing tax that only limits options for those who really 
need these lifesaving devices.

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