Issue Position: Health Care & Disabilities

Issue Position

Since my election to Congress in 1996, health care has been an issue of great importance to me. Americans have some of the greatest health care in the world, and one of my priorities is that all Americans have access to that quality care. But America's health care system is at a crossroads, faced with millions of uninsured citizens, rising costs, quality concerns and a lack of patient control -- not to mention the pending full implementation of ObamaCare.

ObamaCare is plagued with new mandates on individuals and businesses, increased taxes for all, reduced Medicare benefits for our nation's seniors and the largest government intrusion in the doctor-patient relationship ever seen before. ObamaCare is not even fully implemented yet and Americans have already seen their health care costs increase.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius finally admitted that some people -- meaning middle class families -- purchasing new health insurance could see their premiums rise. A recent study has shown that health insurance premiums on young adults could increase by 42 percent. In March of 2013, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that ObamaCare will have a total price tag of $1.6 trillion. Additionally, it is projected to increase medical claims cost by 32 percent.

I believe that North Texans deserve better than a law that is bad for our economy, bad for job creation and bad for our health care system. Since this disastrous law was forced through Congress and signed by the President, I have led the fight in Congress to stop it. I have voted more than 40 times to repeal, dismantle or defund ObamaCare. Due to our efforts, President Obama has signed into law nine of these bills to repeal pieces of ObamaCare or reduce funding for programs within the law -- a step towards victory for all Americans and job-creators across the country.

I will continue to work tirelessly to stop this disastrous law and replace it with common-sense reforms that reduce costs while providing every American with access to the quality care of their choice.

Disabilities

As the father of a young man with Down syndrome, I understand that each child has unique needs. That is why I am an advocate and leader in Congress for people with disabilities. I worked tirelessly to pass the Family Opportunity Act, which gives states the option to create a Medicaid "buy-in" for families of children with disabilities whose family income or resources are up to 300 percent of federal poverty level (FPL). This landmark legislation, which became law in 2006, fixed the Medicaid "Catch-22' that forces many families to make difficult choices, like foregoing a needed pay increase, just to qualify for Medicaid assistance.

In addition to my work with disability issues on Capitol Hill, I work in the 32nd Congressional District to support other parents of special needs children and have led numerous forums on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to help parents understand the opportunities for their child's educational development.

I am a strong supporter of the Down syndrome medical research done at the National Institute of Health (NIH) as well as in the private sector. As a board member of Best Buddies International and Advisor to the President for Special Olympics Texas, I continue to work for increased development and social participation for individuals with disabilities.

I have also been deeply honored to receive a number of awards for my work with the disabled community. In 2007, I was delighted to be featured as the Honoree at the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) Gala. In 2011, I was honored with the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award from the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. In March 2013, I was honored to receive the NDSS 2013 Champion of Change Award. In July 2013, I was recognized as a 2013 NDSS Capitol Hill Superhero for my work on behalf of people with Down syndrome and other disabilities.

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