Sixth Anniversary of Obamacare Nothing to Celebrate

Statement

The sixth anniversary of Obamacare leaves nothing to celebrate; it was bad medicine when signed into law on March 23, 2010 and remains bad medicine today. President Obama promised affordability and accessibility. Unfortunately, that result was not delivered to the American people, their health care, their bank accounts, and our nation's economy.

Premiums are higher today than ever before and health care costs are increasing, not decreasing. Americans aren't able to keep the plans they have or choose the doctor they wish, and the law's stifling regulations make it more difficult than ever for small businesses to grow and create jobs. From day one, I have listened to the dissatisfaction from residents in Florida's Fourth Congressional District and citizens across the country, and have taken action.

On November 7, 2009, I voted against the Democrat's faulty health-care policy and instead supported the Republican substitute. It provided more access to health care by lowering costs, ending junk lawsuits, and preserving the doctor-patient relationship -- all without raising taxes. Since then, I have voted more than 60 times to repeal, replace, and dismantle Obamacare. We need patient-centered health care that puts Americans in charge of the decision-making, not the federal government, and we need policies that will help grow the economy and create jobs without raising taxes or the deficit.

In late 2015, Republicans in the House and Senate were able to get a historic Obamacare repeal bill to the President's desk by using a process called reconciliation. This marked the first time both chambers of Congress had spoken and disapproved of Obamacare. After six years, the ill-conceived law has proven flawed from inception, and the American people have spoken by urging their elected officials to do something about it.

Congress listened and moved its legislative solution forward. But, did our President listen to the American public and join us? Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, "No." He vetoed the measure.

Democrats in Congress also turned a deaf ear to the American public, and without them the House wasn't able to reach the two-thirds majority vote required to override the President's veto. When it comes to health care, I stand on the side of quality versus mediocrity, affordability versus unsustainable debt, and freedom for patients to choose their doctors versus bureaucratic control. That's the right medicine. Then and only then can we celebrate.

Congressman Ander Crenshaw serves as Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.

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