Weekly Republican Address Thad Cochran 01/11/14 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT PODCAST VIDEO

Weekly Republican Address Thad Cochran 01/11/14 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT PODCAST VIDEO. In the Weekly Republican Address, Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi says the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, isn't living up to the promises made by its supporters and he called for repealing the defunding the law because of its cost and complexity. "We should go back to the drawing board and craft commonsense, bipartisan legislation that will work better for all Americans, without spending billions of taxpayer dollars to support these failing policies," Cochran says. "In the spirit of the New Year, we should resolve to help make our health care system more user-friendly and affordable."

The full audio of the address is here. Download MP3 for PODCAST

FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:

“Hello. I’m Thad Cochran, United States Senator for Mississippi.

“The beginning of the New Year is a time when many Americans decide to make positive changes in their lives. It can be a time we decide to adopt healthier lifestyles or take a fresh look at the family budget. “Unfortunately, as this year begins many people are worried about how the so-called Affordable Care Act, also known as ‘Obamacare,’ is affecting both their health and personal finances. “Republicans in the Senate think we should repeal or defund the program because of its cost and complexity. “The Affordable Care Act was supposed to be fully operational by January 1 of this year. But, here we are two weeks into 2014, and the administration continues to struggle to implement the law’s burdensome mandates.

“The law is not living up to the promises made by its supporters, and it is questionable whether the law will meet its fundamental purpose -- to significantly expand health insurance coverage. Five million Americans have been kicked out of the health plans that they liked and were promised they could keep.

“Some of my constituents have discovered that the new insurance can cost twice as much as they had been paying. Many others are being denied access to doctors with whom they were perfectly happy.

“The administration’s enrollment numbers don’t paint a pretty picture. They don’t tell us how many of the enrollees have actually lost existing coverage and were forced into the exchanges; and the numbers don’t tell us whether applicants have actually paid their premiums and received coverage. There is ample reason to be skeptical that those numbers will improve substantially.

“If the law can’t keep its most basic promise, it should be repealed, and we’ve introduced legislation to do just that.

“We should go back to the drawing board and draft commonsense, bipartisan legislation that will work better for all Americans, without spending billions of taxpayer dollars to support these failing policies.

“In the spirit of the New Year, we should resolve to help make our health care system more user-friendly and affordable. Thank you."

Weekly Republican Address Gregg Harper 01/04/13 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT PODCAST VIDEO

Weekly Republican Address Gregg Harper 01/04/13 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT PODCAST VIDEO. In this week’s Republican address, Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS) calls on the United States Senate to pass the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act, which boosts funding for pediatric research at the National Institutes of Health by ending taxpayer subsidies for party conventions. The measure, which enjoys strong bipartisan and grassroots support, passed the House last month.

The full audio of the address is here. Download MP3 for PODCAST

Remarks of Representative Gregg Harper (R-MS) Weekly Republican Address The Capitol January 4, 2014

Good morning and Happy New Year from the Capitol.

Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS)

Kids are always saying something isn’t fair, but sometimes they’ve got a point. Did you know that today in America, only four percent of all federal funding for cancer research goes to childhood cancer? That’s right, four percent for all pediatric cancers combined. This doesn’t just set us back in the race for cutting-edge cures and treatments. It places a ceiling on a child’s ability to overcome obstacles and do great things. I’m sure this issue hits home for many of you. It certainly does for our family. Livingston, our oldest, was 4 when he was diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome, a disorder that is often misdiagnosed as autism. Today, he’s making his way through college in a program for students with intellectual disabilities.

Many families, of course, are not as fortunate. They’re out there waiting for hope and answers that often never come.

No, we can’t fix everything. But that doesn’t mean we should accept things as they are. After all, don’t we teach our kids never to settle for less?

That’s why I was proud to introduce H.R. 2019, the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act.

This bipartisan legislation directs much-needed resources to pediatric research at the National Institutes of Health. We do this using taxpayer dollars currently set aside for political party conventions.

Instead of funding these conventions once every four years, we’ll make it a daily priority to explore the full potential of clinical trials and advancements. Not only for childhood cancer, but for all pediatric conditions – even the most rare genetic diseases.

Last month, the House passed H.R. 2019 with strong support from both sides of the aisle. Now it's the Senate's turn to step up so we can send this bill to the president’s desk.

The good news is, these same Senate leaders have already voted to end the taxpayer subsidy for party conventions. Here’s a way to cut this unnecessary spending and put it towards building a better future for our kids.

Peter Welch, my Democratic co-sponsor for this bill, had it right when he asked: “Can we just put the battle axes down for a while and take a step forward?”

I know we can. And if we do, it just might inspire us to come together and do what the American people sent us here to do. Jobs, health care, energy, education, and innovation are all areas in which the House has started work that Washington needs to finish this year.

But first, we need your help to get this done.

Don’t take it from me. Gabriella Miller, this bill’s namesake – was … well, she was something special.

She was 9 when she found out that she had a brain tumor the size of a walnut. And she was 10 when brain cancer took her life. In that time, Gabriella – never at a loss for words or wisdom – became the leader of this movement.

And she was awfully good at it. “If I go,” Gabriella said, “If I lose my battle I’m going to want all the people to carry on with the war, and we're going to win this war."

Let’s go out and prove her right. Join us in urging our senators to put kids first and pass this bill.

In this season of sweeping resolutions, here’s a chance to show how one small change can make a big difference.

Thank you for listening.