Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of Veto Message From the President of the United States
Floor Speech
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Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my profound disappointment in President Obama's recent decision to veto H.R. 3762, the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015. It is important to be clear and stand with my constituents in voting to override the President's veto of legislation that is a story of broken promises by President Obama and the Democrats who voted in favor of this legislation.
I want to spend a few minutes describing just a few of the promises made during consideration of Obamacare which have sadly failed to come to fruition. First, Mr. Speaker, President Obama repeatedly told the American people that ``If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep it''. Sadly, in reality, it couldn't be further from the truth. More than 4.7 million people received cancellation notices in the fall of 2013, right before Obamacare went into effect. Politifact, no friend to conservatives, even went as far as labeling the President's promise the ``Lie of the Year.''
Secondly, while Obamacare promised lower healthcare costs and lower premiums, this couldn't be further from the truth. First, on lower healthcare costs, according to CMS' own actuaries, overall spending on healthcare is expected to rise by $621 billion over 10 years due to the law, at an average of 5.8% per year. That's more than double our projected GDP growth, and a higher rate than before Obamacare. The story on premiums is no better. While President Obama promised lower premiums, as John Adams stated, ``facts are stubborn things''. The facts are that the average premium for a family plan has increased by $18,610 from 2009-2013, and the overall cost of premium increases have been over $1.2 trillion.
Third, Mr. Speaker, Obamacare promised more choice, more competition, and lower costs. Well, unfortunately, that is just not the case in Oklahoma, like many other states across the country. In fact, fewer insurers offer fewer options at higher prices than when Obamacare was passed, over my objections. Obamacare is not the answer and the American people know that.
Instead, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to co-sponsor the American Health Care Reform Act of 2015 (AHCA), which I support as an alternative to a government-managed health care law. This legislation would provide a number of market-driven solutions to ensure everyone seeking coverage will be able to obtain it. First, it expands federal support for state high risk pools. Unlike Obamacare, which created an already oversubscribed Federal high risk pool, AHCA returns those concerns to the states, provides the necessary funding to sustain them, and caps the premiums in those plans. Additionally, AHCA tax incentives to equalize the treatment of employer-sponsored coverage and those purchased in the private market. In addition to ensuring healthy competition across the market place, it also ensures that if one loses their job, they do not necessarily have to lose their health insurance. Third, AHCA would provide real competition among insurers, by allowing Americans to purchase health insurance products across state lines and by permitting small businesses to pool together to negotiate better rates. AHCA is the type of legislation needed to replace a bloated, government-run healthcare system which has left a trail of broken promises in its wake.
I am pleased to vote to override the President's veto of H.R. 3762. While I know this vote will not be successful, I am pleased that the President has finally had to confront the issues that the American people have with his signature piece of legislation, the so-called Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Unfortunately, Obamacare is none of these things. I urge all my colleagues to vote in favor of overriding the President's veto.
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