Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Continuing Resolution to delay the individual mandate for a year and undue the ObamaCare exemption for Members of Congress. This is about fairness to the American people, who are sick and tired of the hypocrisy of the political class.

We are a nation of laws and when the ruling elite are given a free pass while millions of our constituents are forced into a new health care regime that drives up premiums, erodes the quality of care and puts the government between them and their doctors, we lose the trust of the American people.

As Teddy Roosevelt once said, ``No man is above the law and no man is below it.'' Yet, through administrative ruling the Obama Administration has exempted Members of Congress and their staff from the very health care law that bears the President's name. Meanwhile, the President, Vice President and their political employees are not even required to be part of the new health exchanges. If this law is so great, Mr. President, then why won't you and your political appointees be subject to it?

The answer is simple: ObamaCare is not working and the doctor doesn't want a taste of his own medicine.

Karen, from Cypress, Texas in my district wrote to me this week that ``as a benefits department employee of an independent oil and gas exploration and production company, I have major issues with ObamaCare. I abhor the waste of my department's time and expense in documenting our policies just to show Congress that we already comply with the mandates, despite the lack of guidance we get. Seems to me Congress is punishing employers who offer good coverage. How is this going to help anyone? And don't even get me started on the administration exempting themselves all from it. That rankles more than almost anything else.''

Another one of my constituents, an insurance agent who also happens to be the Mayor of Tomball, Texas, called my office this week and told me that her clients--which include businesses in and around my district--have no idea what is required of them under the law. The Obama Administration has given thousands of waivers to businesses, delayed implementation of dozens of provisions of the law and no one know what to expect next.

What we do know if that ObamaCare is not ready for prime time. We must give our constituents the certainty of a full year delay of the individual mandate. Anything short will only result in more chaos and confusion, not to mention skyrocketing premiums, billions in new taxes and the erosion of the doctor-patient relationship.

Most importantly, elected officials must be treated the same as the people they represent. No exemption for Members of Congress!

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