![]() |
Phil Roe |
What is
reconciliation and why is it important? Reconciliation allows the House
to make changes to existing law so the law is consistent with provisions
included in the budget agreement. Most importantly, this process gives
Republicans in the Senate the ability to waive the 60 vote requirement
in Senate rules and pass budget-related provisions by a simple majority
vote. You may recall that Democrats in Congress used reconciliation in
2010 to push pieces of the president’s health care bill, which is now
law, through Congress.
Three House
Committees – including the House Education and Workforce Committee, on
which I serve – were tasked with finding savings in the federal budget.
The committees’ proposals were then combined into one package by the
Budget Committee.
I support
this bill for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the bill repeals
the individual and employer mandates, making it impossible for the
government to force individuals, families and employers to purchase
certain insurance policies. Repealing the mandates will bring choice
back to our health care system and protect those struggling under
ObamaCare.
The bill
also repeals the auto-enrollment mandate, which will force many
employers to automatically enroll new full-time employees in insurance
plans they may not need or want. This will excuse many workers and
employers from the confusing maze of mandates and penalties triggered by
the president’s health care law, saving them time and money.
I am proud
the bill also includes a repeal of the Independent Payment Advisory
Board (IPAB). The IPAB will consist of fifteen unelected bureaucrats
tasked with finding savings in Medicare. IPAB proposals will be
considered using fast-track procedures and, absent a three-fifths vote
of the Senate, Congress can only modify the type of cuts, not the
amount. I have consistently pushed for repeal of the IPAB and introduced
bipartisan legislation earlier this year to repeal the board. Lastly,
the package includes repeals of the medical device and “Cadillac” taxes,
as well as a costly ObamaCare slush fund, the Prevention and Public
Health fund.
Together,
these significant repeals will save taxpayers $78.9 billion, all while
protecting them from the most harmful parts of the president’s health
care law and taking a strong stand for human life. The National Right to
Life is supporting this reconciliation bill and I’m proud to do the
same.
I’ve heard
some question why we can’t just pass a full repeal. Well, first of all,
the House has already done that – it’s a bill I’ve proudly supported
every Congress since ObamaCare was passed. By targeting major pieces of
the law, we will preclude Democrats in the Senate from filibustering
this bill, ensuring we can get a proposal through Congress and to the
president’s desk. It will be the first time the president has been
forced to engage with Congress on his health care law in a serious way
since he signed the bill into law.
I strongly
believe this bill is the first step towards true, patient-centered
health care reform. Make no mistake, our work to repeal ObamaCare is
just beginning, but I am confident the committees worked to move strong
and strategic repeal efforts. I thank Chairmen Price, Ryan, Upton and
Kline for their hard work and leadership on these important provisions.
Top Stories
No comments:
Post a Comment