DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA — Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, will deliver his first speech of the 115th Congress Thursday at 2:15 p.m. EST (12:15 p.m. MST) on one of his top priorities: repealing President Barack Obama’s health care law and replacing it with a patient-centered healthcare system that gives Americans access to quality, affordable care.
The Senate Finance Committee will play a leading role in healthcare reform, and in his remarks today, Hatch will outline the case for repeal, the transition period that will ensure stability for insurance markets and prevent immediate losses of coverage and the principles behind the replacement plan that will follow.
Click image below to be taken to the CSPAN live coverage.
Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah; Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, sent a letter to Senate Republican leaders Tuesday supporting their efforts to repeal the health care law within the first weeks of the 115th Congress. The letter reads:
We understand that this will require first moving a budget resolution for fiscal year 2017 through Congress. While we recognize this budget resolution is primarily a mechanism to advance repeal, it should still contain transparent spending and revenue numbers and include all extant enforcement tools.
Prior to consideration of this “Obamacare Repeal Resolution,” we wish to affirm our shared commitment to the following process that will lead to the delivery of the following conservative priorities.
First, it is our belief that the 2017 budget resolution must include reconciliation instructions that enable Congress to quickly consider legislation that repeals at least as much of Obamacare as H.R.3762, which President Obama vetoed in December 2015. Indeed, we should try to use the reconciliation process to repeal as many provisions of Obamacare as possible, especially the insurance mandates that are driving up health insurance costs for millions of Americans.
Second, we seek your commitment to passing a fiscal year 2018 budget resolution that sets our new, unified Republican federal government on a path to balance in 10 years without the use of budgetary gimmicks or tax increases. Our votes in favor of the “Obamacare Repeal Resolution” do not indicate in any way our support for the revenue, spending, and deficit numbers therein, nor for the use of those numbers as the basis for future federal budgets.
We look forward to working with you this Congress and to delivering on the mandate given to us by the American people to repeal Obamacare and reform the status quo in Washington.
The letter was addressed to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas; and Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., and can be read in its entirety here.
In addition, Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, discussed the GOP plan to repeal and replace the health care law on MSNBC Wednesday. Watch the interview here.
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Affordable health care. Can’t wait to hear about that.
Yeah I’m still waiting for them to make it affordable
“insurance mandates that are driving up health insurance costs”
This is completely laughable. Insurance mandates are the one thing in this scheme that are keeping premiums from being even higher. Without them, currently healthy people could (and many would) opt out of coverage, leaving a sicker than average and more expensive insurance pool. With the prohibition of exclusions based on preexisting conditions, healthy people who get cancer or get injured can just jump right in, further increasing premiums.
Health insurance only works if healthy people buy it.
“mandate given to us by the American people to repeal Obamacare”
Trump won (legitimately) with two million fewer votes than his opponent. This is not a mandate.
And according the the Kaiser Family Foundation: “One-fourth, or 26 percent, of Americans favor a full repeal of the health care law, while 17 percent say scale it back, according to the Kaiser poll. On the other hand, 30 percent favor expanding the law and another 19 percent want lawmakers to move forward with the law as it is.”
Not a mandate.
I’m just venturing a guess here but maybe it works like this. 26 percent of Americans favor a full repeal of the health care law. These are the people who had great insurance and lost it. while 17 percent say scale it back. These are the people who would buy in if they could afford it. according to the Kaiser poll. On the other hand, 30 percent favor expanding the law. These are the people who don’t pay for it and want more freebies and another 19 percent want lawmakers to move forward with the law as it is. these are the ones who haven’t been affected by it yet and don’t realize it soon will. And if you don’t count the 3 million dead people that voted and the 2+ million people who voted that aren’t us citizens, the mandate is obvious. Also consider that broken down by state Hillary only won the popular vote in 2 States. California and New York. Go figure. Thus the reason for the electoral collage.
Maybe old Orrin will cook up a wonderful replacement for Obongocare all on his own. Should we hold our breath?
Yeah go ahead and hold your breath ! LOL you won’t be missed
If it wasn’t for so many stupid laws the states could afford heath care on their own. I bought a door knob the other day that had a warning on it. This device contains material known the the state of California etc. etc. Wash hands after use. Just plain stupid. Why don’t we just make it free and see where that gets us.
99% the doorknob is from china and theyre not joking about the cancer
HatchCare?
If you just don’t suck on the door knob you’ll be ok.