Black Legislation to Protect Jobs, Taxpayers from Obamacare
Press Release
Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06) has introduced legislation, H.R. 5557, the Streamlining Verification for Americans Act, to combat onerous reporting requirements that Obamacare's employer mandate places on job creators. The Affordable Care Act has created a new element to the employer-employee relationship. For the first time ever, the federal government--through the IRS--is forcing employers to collect their employee's personal information every month starting January 1, 2015. This information must include the health plans offered to their employees, spouses, and dependents, along with everyone's date of birth and social security number.
"Obamacare is killing jobs and putting the personal information of Americans across the country at risk," said Congressman Black. "These burdensome reporting requirements take time, money, and resources away from the daily operations of running a business. They also put sensitive personal information at risk as it is transmitted to the IRS, where it is then stored. My legislation would allow employers to voluntarily report employees' health insurance status one time, up front at the beginning of the year, without including their confidential information. This commonsense measure should be considered immediately to ease Obamacare's burdens on employers ahead of 2015."
Obamacare's taxpayer funded subsidies represent the largest new area of entitlement spending--nearly $1 trillion over ten years according to CBO. In 2014 alone, subsidies will cost taxpayers $14 billion. Taxpayer money must be protected and like in any other entitlement program (SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, etc.), an applicant should be verified that they are eligible prior to receiving assistance.
"The Streamlining Verification for Americans Act would stop subsidies until verification is completed," added Congressman Black. "That is what was originally required by the law and it is unacceptable that this Administration has doled out billions of taxpayer dollars without first checking to make sure those receiving subsidies are truly eligible."
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