OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Providing for Consideration of H.R. 436, Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 2012, and Providing for Consideration of H.R. 5882, Legislation Branch Appropriations Act, 2013

Floor Speech

Date: June 7, 2012
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Health and Health Care

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Mr. ROKITA. I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, Indiana is a global leader in medical device innovation in the United States, providing tens of thousands of high-wage jobs to Hoosiers. There are over 300 medical device manufacturers in the State, many of them small businesses, all working on cutting-edge innovation.

Mr. Speaker, we need to preserve what is working in America. The medical device industry is working. In fact, it's helping to save manufacturing in this country, period. One of the biggest threats to the medical device industry is the tax punishing policies put forth by the last Congress and the President of the United States, commonly known as ObamaCare. It will send these manufacturing jobs to other countries so the cost of the tax can be made up.

In addition to sending jobs out of the country, this tax, if not repealed, will only drive up the cost of health care by shifting the costs onto consumers.

Medical device jobs provide an average of $60,000 in Indiana alone, which is 56 percent higher than the State average. The economic impact of Indiana's medical device industry eclipses $10 billion, and job growth has increased nearly 40 percent in the last few years. Similar numbers can be applied to the State and across this Nation.

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Mr. ROKITA. Although the tax is not scheduled to take effect until next January, we are already feeling its choking boot on the necks of hardworking Americans and sick people. Indiana medical device companies have already laid off good Americans, thanks to this tax, which is just one more example of this failed Presidency.

The national unemployment rate increased again last month. We cannot afford to move forward with this ill-conceived tax on American innovation, on American companies who add value to this Nation and its economy.

I encourage all of my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, to vote ``yes'' on the rule and for final passage of H.R. 436.

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