In response to President Barack Obama’s demands that the House pass a continuing resolution that funds the Affordable Care Act, House Republicans fired back, demanding a delay for all of Obamacare until 2015.
The amendment, led by Tom Graves (R-GA), the congressman behind the House’s Obamacare defunding push, is called the “Fairness Amendment” and would, according to Graves’ office, delay the healthcare law until 2015.
“A simple and reasonable way to ensure fairness for all is to provide every American the same one-year Obamacare delay that President Obama provided for businesses and others,” Graves (pictured) said in his announcement of the new plan, which already has 62 cosponsors, including himself. “Beyond the Obama Administration’s major delays to Obamacare, it seems like every day there is a new headline about how the law is not ready for implementation.
“It’s simply wrong to roll the dice with this major law, enact protections for businesses and insurance companies, but force individuals and families to comply with all the mandates, fines and confusion.”
Graves added that the plan aims to keep the House GOP conference united against Obamacare, just as they united to defunding it in the continuing resolution last week.
“Our amendment rejects the Washington-style special treatment for the privileged few and demands fairness for all,” he asserted. “This approach was developed over several meetings with House Republicans, with a goal of keeping our conference unified, as we continue working to keep the government open and protect our constituents from the harmful effects of Obamacare.”
Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), one of the 62 members backing the plan, said in a Friday statement that President Obama’s remarks on Friday afternoon were unseemly.
“The President of the United States is willing to negotiate with Russia and Iran, but he refuses to work with the elected representatives of the American people to solve our country’s problems,” Duncan said. “I don’t appreciate being lectured to by a President who has done more to hurt American families, businesses, and our economy through his unworkable healthcare law, than could ever happen in a government shutdown.”
Duncan responded specifically to Obama’s claims that Republicans would “hurt” Americans by pointing to economic pain Americans are feeling as the healthcare law goes into effect.
“The President asked us to think about who would be hurt if the government were to shutdown,” he said. “I ask him to think about how many millions more will be hurt if his healthcare law goes into effect? How many Americans will lose the insurance that President Obama promised them they could keep? How many Americans will no longer be able to see their current doctor like President Obama promised wouldn’t happen?
“How many Americans will be unable to find full-time employment because of new ObamaCare regulations on employers? How many small businesses will be forced to close their doors or stop hiring because of the negative impacts of the new healthcare law?”
Duncan added that Obama’s comments reflect a lack of leadership, especially as he has, according to CNN’s Brianna Keilar, “been on the phone more with the leader of Iran than he has with the Speaker of the House, as far as we know.”
“Leadership isn’t about lecturing; leadership is about leading,” Duncan declared. “Had the President decided to work with Congress in a bipartisan way to achieve healthcare reform, we wouldn’t be in this situation.
“Instead of working together,” Duncan accused, “the President chose to go it alone and use parliamentary tricks and political maneuvers to ram a very bad law through Congress.”
Duncan added that no matter how much Obama says anything does not make it true.
“With all due respect to the President, saying something over and over again isn’t enough to make it true,” Duncan said. “Obamacare will shut America down if Congress does not act to stop it. The negative impacts of Obamacare represent a far greater threat to the well-being of our country than any impact of hitting the debt ceiling or shutting down the federal government.”
Duncan concluded by saying that Obamacare would shut down the country if it does not get stopped.
“The House has voted to fully fund the federal government, with the lone exception of Obamacare,” he explained. “The President needs to stop trying to protect his personal legacy and focus on what’s best for the country.
“Obamacare is a disaster, and I urge all of my Republican colleagues to stand firm and speak the truth. I have no desire to shut down the government, but make no mistake, Obamacare will shut down America unless we act to stop it.”
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.