Bilirakis: Obama Administration's Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds

Press Release

Congressman Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL), member of the Energy and Commerce Committee's Health Subcommittee, today called out the Obama Administration for its latest Executive overreach: providing an exemption from the Individual Mandate to individuals who have had their health plans cancelled due to Obamacare. This announcement comes after the White House issued a veto threat for H.R. 2668, the Fairness for American Families Act, which the Congressman co-sponsored and the U.S. House of Representatives passed in July. The bill would have provided all hardworking Americans this same relief.

"The hypocrisy of the Obama Administration knows no bounds," said Bilirakis. "By delaying the Individual Mandate under Obamacare for some individuals and not others, the President has once again shown favoritism and unfairness under the law. This is a purely political move that echoes earlier decisions to grant political allies, unions and businesses, but not individuals, a reprieve under the President's own law."

"This latest delay also reinforces the fundamental problems with Obamacare -- it is both broken and unworkable," continued Bilirakis. "I will continue to advocate for a delay of the Individual Mandate for all Americans, not just those who have already felt the devastating effects of the President's signature legislation. I will also work with my colleagues to replace Obamacare with commonsense, market-based healthcare reforms that empower families and physicians, not bureaucrats in Washington."

On July 2, 2013, the Obama Administration announced it would delay the Obamacare Employer Mandate's reporting requirements and fines until 2015. However, it chose to leave the Individual Mandate -- a tax requiring all individuals to purchase government-approved healthcare from government-run healthcare exchanges -- in place. By January 2014, more individuals are expected to have lost their health insurance coverage than have gained it under Obamacare. Yesterday's decision reinforces the reality that, under Obamacare, individuals cannot keep their plans or their doctors, as repeatedly promised.

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