Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)’s (R-LA) plan to prohibit the federal government from subsidizing the healthcare premiums of lawmakers in Congress and their staffs has been another instance in which Obamacare has divided Republicans in Congress.
Vitter is making a push to “kill an Obama administration rule allowing the government to subsidize the healthcare lawmakers in Congress and their staffs purchase on the government exchanges.” Vitter’s proposal would “also require President Barack Obama and White House political appointees to get on the exchanges” without government subsidies.
Politico noted that on the Senate floor on Tuesday, Vitter argued that “all rules that are passed on for America should be visited on Washington, and we should be treated exactly the same as the rest of America is treated.”
Five Republican senators have endorsed Vitter’s plan, which is in the form of an amendment to an energy bill. But many have publicly criticized him and his plan.
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), who is a part of the Senate’s GOP leadership, said Vitter’s plan “can’t be a good idea.”
Sens. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) have come out against Vitter’s plan as well.
“I am concerned that Sen. Vitter’s application of that principle may not be as he intends when it comes to staff,” Collins said. “Because it appears the way his amendment is drafted that lower-paid staffers will qualify for neither the subsidy that anyone else making that kind of money would receive on through the exchange–nor will they get the employers’ subsidy. And that concerns me.”
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) told Politico his “concern is about fairness: treating congressional staff the same way the federal employees should be treated.”
House Republicans are also divided over Obamacare defunding. Last week, Republican leaders could not get the votes on a continuing resolution that conservatives felt was a “gimmick” and a “symbolic vote” that did nothing to defund Obamacare. And Senators like Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) have criticized those who want to defund Obamacare as well. But conservatives opposed to the law may have won out in the House, as the House may vote this week on a short-term resolution to fund the government that also defunds Obamacare.
If Vitter’s amendment passes, congressional staffers would have to pay nearly $5,000 more in health insurance because lawmakers insisted Congress play by the same Obamacare rules as the rest of the country when advocating for the law. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), though, has suggested he would just raise the salaries of his aides to pay for the increased cost of healthcare on the exchanges.
“I’m just going to raise their wages,” Coburn said. “No senator really needs that money if they run their office” correctly.”
When asked if he would “give up his federal contribution if his plan fails,” Vitter reportedly said: “I’m researching now whether that’s a choice or not.”
In an exchange with Politico, a Vitter spokesman reiterated why Vitter is so strongly backing his amendment: “Lotta Americans getting screwed under Obamacare and won’t get a taxpayer subsidy.”
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