CHAMP Act Mark-Up
Statement
CHAMP Act Mark-Up
t's Christmas in July. By legislative standards, this bill is a Christmas tree, fully bedecked with ornaments, tinsel, and even a star on top.
This 465 page bill was unveiled to this committee in the wee hours of Wednesday morning and I'll be honest with you I have only a modest understanding of what it does. But we shouldn't be surprised because we've been here before. A handful of democratic staff, working behind closed doors, without any input from the real world have produced just what we should expect: a bloated and complicated proposal that grows the size of government, diminishes state fiscal accountability and an individuals personal responsibility.
I doubt anybody on this panel, Republican or Democrat, really understand what is in this proposal. We've not had one legislative hearing on this bill and haven't even taken this bill through regular order. As a member of the Health Subcommittee, I'm disappointed in that fact because the subcommittee has shown an ability to come together and work out partisan differences. I haven't spoken with Chairman Pallone, but I imagine he shares that sentiment to some degree.
Over and over again, it has been proven that when this committee works together it can develop superior legislation that meets the priorities of the American people. This bill represents what happens when we don't work together. Democratic staff has developed a bill that is a disservice to this committee's spirit of comity and a disservice to the constituents we all represent. I and my staff, and I know that the minority counsel have made a valiant effort to understand what is in this bill. Unfortunately that review raises more questions than it answers. How we can rationalize even reporting this bill out of committee and attempting to report to our constituents that we conducted an in-depth review of this legislation would be farcical at best.
Kids need a safety net, but the safety net shouldn't apply to those that can and should help themselves. This bill should place a priority on helping needy families, not rewarding families that can but don't do right by their children. Taking money from taxpayers to give it to families that have the resources to purchase health insurance for their children is irresponsible. And if affordable options don't exist for these families, well forget it, because this bill doesn't raise a finger to reform an insurance market burdened by regulation and lack of choice.
On immigration, this bill all but ensures that states like mine and other border states will be saddled with more cost as it rewards those that illegally enter our country. The debate on illegal immigration is often ruled by emotion but the provisions in this bill relating to immigrant health care are equally suitedthis bill makes little to no effort to understand this dynamic and only serves to pour gasoline on an inferno.
On Medicare, this bill misses the mark wide. This bill would again make a bad investment in an attempt to fix Medicare physician payment and in doing so, members will find their selves in the position of spending billions more in the future to fix the problem again.
As we progress through this bill today, I'm sure I will have other criticisms, complaints, and in some cases will attempt to improve the legislation. I'm sure my Democratic colleagues will relish in their role as Santa Clause, but they should be honest with the American people that all they deliver today is a lump of coal, wrapped in a pretty bow.
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