Natalie Gonnella
Yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of President Obama's health care overhaul officially becoming law and Republicans had a lot to say about it.
As health care reform was a key focus of the 2010 election cycle, a number of GOP freshman issued statements in response to this week's anniversary that (once again) articulated their disdain for the law's provisions, while also reminding voters of their continued commitment to defund, repeal and replace the legislation as soon as possible.
With 53% of American's still confused about key components of the law, and support for repeal at a ten month high, here's what a few of Washington's newest congressional Republicans had to say about the Affordable Care Act's "first birthday":
A year ago, our nation took a step in the wrong direction—a step that placed the federal government and its massive bureaucracy between patients and their doctors. The biggest flaw of PPACA, which was rammed through Congress after closed-door meetings and sweetheart deals, is that it failed to address the real issue in health insurance: escalating costs.
Earlier this year, the House of Representatives, led by a new majority, voted to repeal this government takeover of healthcare and set in motion the process to replace it with market-based, patient-centered, health care reform. I support this movement because I believe that we do need health care reform in this nation, but we need to pursue it in a way that will foster economic growth, lower health care costs through increased competition, and will increase access to adequate health care coverage.
This unconstitutional, hyper-partisan takeover of the United States health care system was shoved down the throats of the American people, by Nancy Pelosi and her fellow Democrats without a single Republican vote, as they claimed we had to ‘pass the bill to find out what was in the bill.’”
Now, just one year after ramming it through Congress, Americans are discovering the truth about ObamaCare and their opposition is growing. In a recent Rasmussen Reports poll of likely voters, 62 percent favored repealing the entire law. This is the highest total recorded in favor of repeal in the last ten months – ObamaCare is even more unpopular today than it was a year ago when President Obama signed it into law...We simply cannot allow a law to remain in place that has already created a legacy of fewer jobs, higher taxes and a lower quality of care – knowing that the worst is yet to come.
Using a ‘win at all costs’ philosophy, the Democrat leadership rammed their vision of socialized medicine through the House and Senate, knowing a Presidential signature awaited their efforts.
All of the gimmicks, loopholes and special-interest paybacks contained in the so-called Health Care Reform Act, have left insurers unsure of what coverage they can offer their subscribers, employers confused as to their benefit options, and hard-working Americans caught in the middle.
Obamacare has been rejected by the U.S. House. The courts have ruled it unconstitutional. It spends too much, taxes too much, and would drastically increase our national debt while eliminating nearly one million jobs. Just as important, Obamacare fails miserably in offering what Americans have consistently cited as their primary need – quality, affordable health care centered on the doctor-patient relationship.
One year ago today, despite loud calls of protest from the American people, the President signed into law his job killing healthcare bill. In the time since, the American people and our economy have been paying the price for this senseless bill. Prior to the bill’s passage, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously remarked, ‘we have to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it.’ However, the average American knew full well then, as they do now, that this bill costs too much, taxes too much, helps too few and places a devastating burden on American businesses. Last November, Americans used their vote to send a clear message to Washington that this bill should be repealed. I understand the job that the people of Georgia’s eighth Congressional District sent me to do, and my Republican colleagues in the House are heeding the calls for repeal as well...In the coming weeks and months, we will continue to pursue any opportunity to de-fund it, repeal it and replace Obamacare with common sense, market based solutions.
Exactly one year ago today, President Obama signed his massive and reckless government takeover of health care into law – despite broad opposition from the American people. And make no mistake, this bill has and will take a grueling toll on our economy and workers and families in Tennessee. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates this government takeover of health care will result in more than 800,000 jobs lost over the next 10 years and increase premiums on family policies an average of $2,100 a year. And a new CBO analysis shows the price tag on this health care law will be 8.6 percent more expensive than the Democrats claimed last year – moving the price tag to a whopping $1.13 trillion.
At a time when our country faces high unemployment and unsustainable debt – we simply cannot afford to pay for this failed government run health care program. In one year, health care services in our country have gotten worse, not better.
A year ago, ObamaCare was unleashed on the American people with devastating consequences on an already struggling economy. ObamaCare’s cost, regulations and complexity have stunted job growth by making it more difficult for entrepreneurial Americans to start a business or expand existing ones. ObamaCare is adding to our nation’s debt, destroying jobs and threatening current coverage plans that people are satisfied with, and I support its full repeal and replacement.
While I am encouraged by recent federal court rulings against ObamaCare’s constitutionality, I believe Congress has the responsibility to repeal and replace this law with common sense reforms that will lower health care costs and get more Americans insured.
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