Washington, D.C. –  Today U.S. Congressman Steve Austria (R – Beavercreek) released the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), otherwise known as ObamaCare, being signed into law:

“Over the past year, the American people have loudly rejected the health care bill that then-Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats forced through Congress and which President Obama signed into law exactly one year ago today. During a time when jobs, the economy and the federal debt remain the number one concern of our nation, this bill expands government by raising taxes and increasing the cost of health care for many Americans.”

The Truth about ObamaCare:

• Two Federal judges have found the individual mandate unconstitutional and 28 states are challenging the law in court.
• More than 1,000 waivers for entities and states facing unworkable mandates under the law have been approved by the Administration.
• The law increases Medicare payroll tax by 2.35 percent.
• The “1099 Provision” mandates that all businesses file an IRS Form-1099 for any vendor with which they have more than $600 in yearly transactions, resulting in burdensome costs for small businesses. 

Floor Action taken to Repeal ObamaCare:

On January 19, 2011, the House passed, H.R. 2, the Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act: One of the House’s first official actions was to repeal ObamaCare in its entirety and instruct the committees of jurisdiction to begin work on finding common sense patient-centered replacement legislation.

On February 19, 2011, the Housed passed H.R. 1, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011: The House passed several substantial bipartisan amendments to H.R. 1 that would severely handicap implementation of ObamaCare:

• The Rehberg Amendment #575: Provides that no funds in this Act may be may be used for any employee, officer, contractor or grantee of any department or agency funded in this title (Labor & HHS) to implement the health care provisions of ObamaCare. (passed: 239-187)
• The King Amendment #267: Provides that no funds in this Act may be may be used to implement ObamaCare. (passed: 241-197)
• The King Amendment #268: Provides that no funds in this Act may be may be used to pay officials who implement ObamaCare. (passed: 237-191)
• The Emerson Amendment #83: Provides that no funds in this Act may be may used by the IRS to implement or enforce provisions on ObamaCare related to the reporting of health insurance coverage. (passed: 246-182)
• The Price Amendment #409: Provides that no funds in this Act may be used by HHS to implement or enforce the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) provision. (passed: 241-185)
• The Burgess Amendment #200 would prohibit any funds in this Act to be used to pay the salary of any officer or employee of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO). (passed: 239-182)
• The Pitts Amendment #430: Provides that no funds in this Act may be used for an officer or employee at HHS, IRS, and Labor to do any action to specify or define, through regulations, guidelines, or otherwise, essential benefits as required in ObamaCare. (passed: 239-183)
• The Gardner Amendment #79: Provides that no funds in the Act may be used to pay the salary of any employee or officer of the HHS who develops or promulgates regulations or guidance regarding Exchanges under ObamaCare. (passed: 241-184)
• The Hayworth Amendment #567: Provides that no funds in this Act may be used to implement the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) created under ObamaCare. (Accepted by voice vote)

On March 3, 2011, the House passed H.R. 4, the Comprehensive 1099 Taxpayer Protection and Repayment of Exchange Subsidy Overpayments Act of 2011: H.R. 4 repealed the job-killing Form 1099 reporting requirements that were added in ObamaCare strictly as a way to help finance ObamaCare. This provision has a real detrimental impact on small businesses and Americans believe it needs to be repealed.

-30-