Messer Supports Bill to Defund ObamaCare and Keep the Government Open

Press Release

Congressman Luke Messer (IN-06) today voted for legislation that would defund Obamacare, stop a government shutdown, and continue government operations for the coming year at a fiscally responsible level.

"The American people want protection from ObamaCare, and they want the government to stay open for business too," Messer said. "This resolution does both. It stops ObamaCare, prevents a government shutdown and controls spending."

The bill the House approved (H.J. Res. 59) would fully delay ObamaCare and prohibit the use of any discretionary or mandatory funding to carry out any portion of the health care law. The bill prevents the application of the law's new regulations, and it stops 18 separate tax increases, including the tax for not complying with the individual mandate. The measure also will ensure that the U.S. government honors its debts if the nation's borrowing limit is reached.

"Obamacare is not working, and it time to put the President's failed health care experiment on indefinite hold," Messer said. Messer believes any delay in implementation of the health care law will expose additional fissures that soon will hasten its complete repeal, citing the recent resolution passed by the AFL-CIO seeking changes for its members and calling implementation of the law "disruptive" as evidence that the law is losing support even among the President's most ardent supporters. He also pointed to the President's unilateral one-year delay of the employer mandate as proof that the law won't work.

"Big businesses and labor unions shouldn't get special breaks from ObamaCare while everyone else suffers," he said. "The best course is to delay the law for everybody."

Messer has supported repealing, defunding, and delaying ObamaCare since his election to Congress. He has cosponsored and voted for legislation to fully repeal and delay the law. He also has urged House Leadership to use the Congress' power of the purse to defund the law. In addition, he has introduced legislation (H.R. 2443) to shield schools from the law's penalties and a bill (H.R. 2577) to exempt small businesses from the employer mandate.

H.J. Res 59 will now go to the Senate for debate. "The Senate must act to keep the government open and protect people from ObamaCare," Messer concluded. "I hope the most vocal Senate critics of this law will accept their responsibility to lead and prevent the President and Harry Reid from holding the country hostage to protect their failed law."

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