Statement of Rep. Barletta Regarding Passage of Obamacare Delay Bills

Press Release

Rep. Lou Barletta, PA-11, today issued a statement regarding the House passage of two bills involving Obamacare.

The first (H.R. 2667), "The Authority for Mandate Delay Act," sets in statute a delay by one year the implementation of the "employer mandate" portion of the health care law. This would codify a policy decision already made by the Obama Administration.

The second (H.R. 2668), "The Fairness for American Families Act," delays for one year the "individual mandate," which would provide for penalties for people who do not purchase health insurance.

The statement is as follows:

"Since its inception, House Republicans have warned that Obamacare is a massive government takeover of health care that would be unable to sustain itself and ultimately fail to live up to its promises. As we have seen, Americans are losing the health coverage they prefer and premiums are skyrocketing. Employers are cutting jobs, limiting work hours, reducing wages and even scaling back to part-time employees to avoid the disastrous effects of the law. Even the president's allies in organized labor are beginning to revolt.

"The president's authority to delay out of hand a law duly passed by Congress is doubtful at best, so the logical course of action is to solidify that delay in statute. It naturally follows that it is only fair to give individuals and families that same benefit in putting off the pain people are sure to experience once the law is fully implemented.

"News reports indicate that the president has threatened to veto the bills. I find this to be incredible, since one of the bills simply codifies his own stated policy choice, and the other treats individuals and families fairly, just as businesses are being treated by the Obamacare delay.

"I would point out that of the many votes we in the House have taken to reduce, defund or repeal Obamacare, seven of those bills have been passed by the Senate and actually signed by the president. Even he, by signaling the problems with the employer mandate and by signing the changes to the law, has admitted that the ACA is fatally flawed.

"I will keep up the fight against Obamacare so that Americans won't have their choices limited, no employer will have to lay off workers, and that health insurance premiums do not continue to soar."

Source