Dear Friend,
Today is the two-year anniversary of the President’s health care law. I voted against the bill when it came to the House floor in 2010 and then and I voted to repeal the bill when the Republicans took control of the House in 2011.
Since then, the House has taken 25 votes to repeal, defund, or dismantle this law. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats and President Obama are unwilling to even consider our legislation.
Even with the cards stacked against us, the House has had some success. One of the most damaging parts of the health care bill that we have successfully stopped was the burdensome 1099 tax reporting requirement on businesses. Other small – but significant – successes have come from the Appropriations Committee. We have been able to get President Obama to sign into law appropriations bills that cut or eliminate funding for several of his own health care programs.
Just this week we took another step to dismantle the national health care by voting to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) created under the law. Unless it is repealed, IPAB will be a board of fifteen unelected Presidential appointees who make decisions about cutting payment rates for doctors, nurses, and hospitals who treat Medicare beneficiaries with little to no oversight.
This government intrusion on our health care is not right for America, and not right for Texas. We absolutely need reform, but this level of overreach is not the way to go. Texas is just one of many states that has filed suit against the health care law and next week, the Supreme Court is hearing arguments on its constitutionality. We’ll find out in June if the justices on the high court decide to overturn portions of this controversial law or decide against it entirely.
I will continue to keep you informed on this important issue and continue advocating for common-sense reforms that will actually lower health care costs for Americans.
Sincerely,
Kay Granger
Member of Congress