Let's Talk

Floor Speech

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Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Thank you very much. It's a great honor to be here this evening to talk about the effects that ObamaCare has on the folks in rural Missouri. I also want to thank my colleague and my neighbor just west of me in Missouri, Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, for having us and for putting on this Special Order.

Just over a week ago, I posted a question on my Facebook page asking the folks back home to give me examples and comments of how ObamaCare has affected them. It's amazing. We were inundated with people and just different story after story. I want to share a few of those stories of real families that are facing the struggles of ObamaCare back home.

We have folks all the time that ask, Is the fight worth it? Is the fight worth defunding and delaying ObamaCare? And I'll let you all decide. But let me give you a few examples.

Paul from East Prairie, down in Missouri County, in Missouri, wrote on Facebook that he checked to see what his insurance premiums would be next year after ObamaCare completely goes into effect. Paul and his family would be forced to pay $1,035 a month, with a sky-high deductible of $12,700. Paul said he could get coverage from his wife's employer--his wife is a teacher--but with increased costs. The employer's insurance for their family plan would take his wife's entire paycheck because of the new regulations under the Affordable Care Act, which is everything but affordable.

Madam Speaker, I ask, Is the fight to defund ObamaCare worth it?

Let me give you another example. Another constituent, Noel, said he has worked for 35 hours every year for the last 12 years. But, guess what, his employer now has changed it to where he only works 28 hours a week. Guess why? Because of the new regulations under ObamaCare.

Is the fight worth it for Noel?

Donald from Festus, Missouri, just south of St. Louis, told me that his health care premiums are rising from $480 to $740 per month. He went on to say that because of his increased insurance costs, he will be contributing $3,000 less a year to our Nation's economy.

Madam Speaker, do you think fighting ObamaCare is worth it?

These are just a few examples of my constituents. These are real people, President Obama. These are people that are affected and are required to be in this program, which you are not required to be a part of, which the Vice President of the United States is not required to be a part of, which Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are not required to be a part of. This is wrong, folks. This is completely wrong.

In the last week, this body has voted to defund and to delay ObamaCare because it is worth the fight. Democrats in the United States Senate must now justify to the American people why the individual mandate is too harmful for businesses and unions, but should still be forced on families and individuals. The Senate must justify why special interests are eligible for waivers and delays while average Americans will be hit with an ObamaCare's tsunami of mandates, fines, and confusion.

Madam Speaker, the fight to defund ObamaCare is a good fight to have, and I will keep fighting until folks in my district are treated the same way as big businesses and special interests.

Madam Speaker, this fight is about fairness. The fight is about families in my district who are seeing skyrocketing insurance premiums and lost wages and lost jobs.

Madam Speaker, this is a fight worth fighting for.

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