Weekly Republican Address Dan Coats 11/02/13 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT VIDEO

Weekly Republican Address Dan Coats 11/02/13 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT VIDEO

In the Weekly Republican Address, U.S. Sen. Dan Coats of Indiana says that fixing the faulty Obamacare website isn't going to solve the deep and systemic problems plaguing the ill-conceived health care law. "The failure of Obamacare launch is just the tip of the iceberg, and unless we act, Americans will be stuck on board this Titanic," says Coats, who has introduced legislation to delay the Obamacare mandates for one year. While the President granted a one-year delay for employers who don't provide health insurance coverage to workers, he refuses to grant similar relief to individuals and families who must purchase their own health plans. "This simply isn't fair," Coats says.

FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:

Hello. I'm Dan Coats and I have the honor of representing the people of Indiana in the United States Senate.

Two hundred and thirty-five years ago this July 4th, our Founding Fathers risked their lives and signed a document announcing the birth of America. Their brave declaration of freedom changed the course of history and revolutionized the world.

Our Founding Fathers severed the chains of tyranny to provide a land of opportunity for future generations. They left it to their children and grandchildren to protect this gift.

This generational responsibility is the story of America. Today, we must ask ourselves: Will we continue this tradition? Will we leave behind a more prosperous country for our children?

When I retired from the Senate 12 years ago, I felt confident that my children and grandchildren would have the opportunity to pursue the American Dream: a quality education, home ownership, and a good paying job to support a family. But over the past few years, I saw that dream become ever tougher for Americans to reach.

I returned to the Senate for one reason: I refused to stand on the sidelines. I refused to be part of the first generation to leave behind a country in worse shape than the one we inherited.

The American people understand the urgency of our fiscal crisis. They want their elected officials to stop spending money we don't have, and to enact policies that will grow our economy and get Americans back to work.

Unfortunately, the president's economic plan of spending and borrowing has failed. Over the past two years, debt has skyrocketed 35 percent to our nation's limit of $14.3 trillion. The annual deficit is now three times greater than the highest deficit of the previous administration. And today, nearly 14 million Americans are without work.

If these numbers aren't alarming enough, then the president should consider the numerous warnings from the financial markets both here and abroad. The eyes of the world are fixed on the U.S. to see if we have the political courage and moral sense to solve our debt crisis.

The president and Democrats in Congress must recognize that their game plan is not working. It's time to acknowledge that more government and higher taxes is not the answer to our problem. It's time for bold action and a new plan to address our current crisis.

For inspiration, they should look outside Washington, and there is no better playbook for getting us on the right track than the one used in Indiana.

The Hoosier way is quite simple -- we work hard and we live within our means. In Indiana, we understand that you cannot spend more money than you take in. When our state fell off course, a leader stepped up with solutions to steer it straight, and the people of Indiana responded.

Gov. Mitch Daniels, like the president, inherited a weak economy. In 2005, Indiana faced a $200 million deficit and had failed to balance the budget for seven years. And while other states increased spending and raised taxes, Indiana reduced spending, cut taxes and paid down its debts. Thanks to our governor's leadership and the resolve of Hoosiers, our state is now the most attractive place to do business in the Midwest.

The spend less, borrow less and tax less model in Indiana has resulted in balanced budgets, job creation, and a triple-A credit rating. In contrast, the spend more, borrow more and tax more approach of the president has resulted in fewer jobs, higher debt and a threatened downgrade from credit agencies.

The Hoosier model is a necessary first step to repairing our country's finances. And this week, every Senate Republican took that step by committing to a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The speaker of the House has committed to bringing the Balanced Budget Amendment to a vote later this month, and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has committed to fighting for a vote in the Senate as well. Broke or balanced, that's the choice before us.

Now some doubt our ability to overcome this fiscal crisis. But the problem we face is not insurmountable. We have overcome major challenges in the past. Times of trial have always produced moments of great leadership that rally the American people.

Now is the time for decisive leadership from this president.

It's time to cast aside the false safety of political denial and re-election hopes and put the future of our country above all else.

On July 4th 1776, our Founding Fathers put their honor and lives on the line to break from oppression and create a republic that valued individual rights, freedom, and liberty.

It is not only our duty, but our moral obligation to break from the oppression of debt and strengthen our country. We must all rise above the political considerations and do what is right for the future of our nation.

Thank you and may God continue to bless America as we celebrate our Independence.

Senator Mike Lee introduces The “Working Family Flexibility Act”

WASHINGTON – 10/31/13, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced a bill to help workers handle the constant challenge of work-life balance by allowing all individuals who work overtime to choose between monetary compensation or comp-time. The “Working Family Flexibility Act” would free workers to choose the best way to alleviate the difficulties of juggling work, home, kids, and community. Sen. Lee’s bill is a companion to legislation first introduced by Rep. Martha Roby (AL) in the House.

“For many families, especially with young children, their most precious commodity is time,” said Sen. Lee. “But today, federal labor laws restrict the way moms and dads and everyone else can use their time. For decades, Congress has given a special exemption from these laws to government employees. This is unacceptable. The same work-life options available to government employees should be available to private-sector workers, as well.”

“I am excited about the Working Families Flexibility Act gaining traction in the Senate, and I appreciate Sen. Mike Lee stepping forward to introduce a companion bill,” said Rep. Roby. “Talk to any working mom and dad and they’ll tell you they need more time – just one more hour in the day to make life work. We can’t legislate another hour in the day, but we can help working people better balance the demands of family and work by removing an unnecessary federal restriction on utilizing comp time in the private sector.”

Rep. Roby’s “Working Families Flexibility Act”, H.R. 1406, passed the House of Representatives in May. Sen. Lee’s bill is cosponsored by Sens. Coburn, Cruz, Hatch, Johnson, Paul, Risch, Roberts, and Rubio.

More Information:

How It Works

Gives employers the ability to offer their employees the option of comp time or overtime pay, both accrued at 1½ times the overtime hours worked.
Requires employers who decide to offer this option to their employees to establish a written agreement with the employee outlining the options and to allow each employee to voluntarily choose the option that best fits his needs.
Requires that comp time agreements be included in the collective bargaining agreement negotiated between the union and the employer for any employee represented by a union.
Allows employees who choose to accrue comp time to accrue up to 160 hours each year.
Allows employees to “cash out” their accrued comp time at the traditional overtime pay rate at any time throughout the year.
Maintains all existing employee protections, including the current 40-hour workweek and overtime accrual, and provides additional safeguards to ensure that the choice to use comp time is voluntary.
Requires employers to pay employees at the traditional overtime rate for any unused comp time at the end of each calendar year.

What It Does

Ends the unfair discrimination against private-sector employees
Enables parents to better balance work and family obligations
Frees all workers to choose which commodity – time or money – is the more important resource at a given time
Lessens the burden of unnecessary federal regulation.

Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) Washington, D.C. 316 Hart Senate Office Building. Washington, D.C. 20510. Phone: 202-224-5444 Fax: 202-228-1168

Marco Rubio, Trey Radel, Delay Until Fully Functional Act

Sen. Rubio, Rep. Radel Introduce Legislation to Delay ObamaCare Mandate Until Websites are Fully Functional

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Representative Trey Radel (R-FL) today introduced the “Delay Until Fully Functional Act,” a bill delaying the individual mandate under ObamaCare until six months after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) certifies that the exchange website is fully functional.

The Senate bill is co-sponsored by Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), James Inhofe (R-OK), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Thad Cochran (R-MS), John Boozman (R-AR) and Mike Johanns (R-NE).

“It is unacceptable that Americans will soon be forced to pay a fine for not purchasing insurance when the very websites they are supposed to use for purchasing it have been rendered useless from numerous glitches and technical errors,” said Rubio. “Americans already have too many financial burdens for Washington to go adding another useless and unjust tax, especially when that tax punishes the American people for the government’s own errors. I believe ObamaCare must eventually be entirely repealed and replaced, but until that becomes possible we must continue to focus on protecting Americans from the law’s ongoing problems.”

“The President has given big business and corporations an exemption from his signature law, it only seems fair to give you and your family a break from the fine as well,” said Radel. “The Rubio-Radel bill ensures the ObamaCare fine will be delayed until the Administration can show Healthcare.gov and all other sign up options are fully functional.”

The “Delay Until Fully Functional Act” would delay the ObamaCare individual mandate and require that GAO study and report to Congress on the websites within 30 days. If the GAO study says the American Health Benefit Exchange is not fully functional and operating in a manner consistent with the role envisioned for exchanges under this act, GAO will do subsequent studies and reports every 60 days until the Comptroller General determines that the exchanges are fully functional. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) inspector general would then issue a certification based on the results of the GAO report. The individual mandate would be reinstated 6 months after the HHS inspector general certification.

The legislation has been endorsed by FreedomWorks, Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform and the National Taxpayers Union.

The full text of the Senate bill is available here. Legislation to Delay ObamaCare Mandate Until Websites are Fully Functional

Senator Marco Rubio 284 Russell Senate Office Building Washington DC, 20510 Phone: 202-224-3041. Representative Trey Radel WASHINGTON, D.C. OFFICE 1123 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 P: (202) 225-2536.

S.J.RES.25 Rand Paul Congress shall make no law applicable to a citizen of the United States that is not equally applicable to Congress

Rand Paul Congress shall make no law applicable to a citizen of the United States that is not equally applicable to Congress.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Rand Paul last week introduced S.J. Res. 25, a constitutional amendment that would hold government officials to the same standard as the American people. The amendment states that "Congress shall make no law applicable to a citizen of the United States that is not equally applicable to Congress." The amendment also contains two provisions that apply that same principle to the Executive Branch and Judicial Branch of the federal government. The amendment text can be found below:

S.J.RES.25 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to applying laws equally to the citizens of the United States and the Federal Government. (Introduced in Senate - IS)

SJ 25 IS 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. J. RES. 25 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to applying laws equally to the citizens of the United States and the Federal Government.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 11, 2013 Mr. PAUL introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to applying laws equally to the citizens of the United States and the Federal Government.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States:

'Article--

'Section 1. Congress shall make no law applicable to a citizen of the United States that is not equally applicable to Congress.

'Section 2. Congress shall make no law applicable to a citizen of the United States that is not equally applicable to the executive branch of Government, including the President, Vice President, ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and all other officers of the United States, including those provided for under this Constitution and by law, and inferior officers to the President established by law.

'Section 3. Congress shall make no law applicable to a citizen of the United States that is not equally applicable to judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, including the Chief Justice, and judges of such inferior courts as Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.

'Section 4. Nothing in this article shall preempt any specific provision of this Constitution.'

###

Weekly Republican Address Fred Upton 10/26/13 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT PODCAST VIDEO

Weekly Republican Address Fred Upton 10/26/13 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT VIDEO Download the MP3 Audio for PODCAST

The problems with Obamacare are more than just website glitches. From broken promises to special waivers, House Republicans are actively conducting thoughtful oversight of this law, while at the same time crafting patient-centered solutions to improve healthcare for all Americans. We want to hear your stories, so if you are having difficulties as a result of Obamacare, please share your experience at www.gop.gov/YourStory.

FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT: Remarks by House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) Weekly Republican Address Washington, DC October 26, 2013

Hey there. I’m Michigan Representative Fred Upton, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Our panel has been active in crafting solutions to improve health care for the American people, as well as conducting thoughtful oversight of the president’s health care law.

Over the last year, we have become all too familiar with the troubled rollout of the law with its broken promises, missed deadlines, delays, special waivers, and now website crashes.

This week, in this committee room, four of the lead contractors responsible for the troubled healthcare.gov website testified about what went wrong.

Next week, we will hear directly from Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Despite hundreds of millions of taxpayers dollars invested, the website still does not work for most.

At a time when we can do everything from ordering a pizza, flowers, or airline tickets, or banking and paying bills, they expect the same reliable service from healthcare.gov – and it’s still not ready for primetime.

Over the months leading up to the October 1 launch, top administration officials and lead contractors appeared before this committee, looked us in the eye, and assured us repeatedly that everything was “on track.”

Except that it wasn’t, as we now know all too well.

The broken healthcare.gov website has captured the nation’s attention, but this is more than a website problem. We are also concerned about what happens next.

Will enrollment glitches become provider payment glitches?

Will patients show up at their doctor’s office or hospital only to be told they aren’t in the system?

And is the personal information Americans provide as part of the enrollment process safe from cyber hackers and identity theft.

Oversight is not about blame – it is about accountability… transparency. And it’s about fairness for the American public.

In a few short months, families across the country will be subject to penalties under the law’s individual mandate.

How can the administration punish innocent Americans by forcing them to buy a product many cannot afford, from a system that does not work?

And what about the promises that health care costs would go down, and that Americans could keep their health plans if they liked them, “No matter what?”

The reality in communities across America is that premiums are going higher – for some, as much as 400 percent higher.

And millions of Americans are receiving unwelcome notices that their plans are being terminated. Believe it or not, more people are receiving cancellation notices in just three states than are applying in all 50 states.

This is not what health reform promised.

In the past few days, the bipartisan chorus has been growing to delay the individual mandate, to delay the penalty that Americans would face for being unable to purchase insurance through this broken system.

This is good news.

The business mandate was delayed, and it’s only fair that individuals and families receive the same treatment.

Likewise, we should look for bipartisan solutions to allow Americans to keep their current insurance.

After all, that was President Obama’s solemn promise during the health care debate.

We will continue working toward patient-centered reforms that keep costs down for folks, all the while improving quality of care. This is a matter of fairness for all.

If you are facing hardships as a result of the law, we want to hear from you. Please go to http://gop.gov/YourStory to share your experience.

Thank you. And God Bless.
- See more at: http://www.speaker.gov/video/weekly-republican-address-chairman-fred-upton-obamacare-oversight-fairness-all#sthash.7jGQTrAq.dpuf

Marco Rubio: Delay IRS Penalties Until ObamaCare Websites Work VIDEO

Senator Marco Rubio: “It’s pretty straightforward. It’s unfair that on the one hand you are telling people that if they don’t buy insurance next year the IRS is going to come after them with a fine. It’s unfair to say that to them and then turn around and make it so difficult, or impossible, for them to buy that health insurance. So what the bill would basically say is that the ObamaCare website has to be up and functioning for six consecutive months before they can begin to enforce this individual mandate on people. How you can punish people for not buying something that is impossible to buy because of the inability of this website to function because of government incompetence?”

FOX News’ Bill O’Reilly: “How do you see this bill coming? I would imagine every Republican senator would vote for it, but are you going to able to peel off some Democrats to do that? Maybe Manchin of West Virginia would do it, but I don’t know anybody else.”

Rubio: “Well, I think they’re going to have to do this no matter what and it’s a question of when they’re going to finally admit to that. Now look, I actually don’t think this is a partisan thing. I think no matter how you may feel about ObamaCare - I certainly would like to see it repealed and replaced, others may disagree - but no matter how you may feel about ObamaCare, this is not about that. This is about the fact that it is unfair that you are going to punish people, that you are going to send the IRS after people.”

O’Reilly: “Now, will your bill contain the provision that if you want to sign up for ObamaCare now you certainly can, it’s just that you don’t have to and you won’t be punished. So that gives everybody the option of, ‘Yeah, I will do it’ or ‘I won’t do it’, and as you said, when they get the glitches out of the software so that people can efficiently decide what they want to do, then you can do the mandatory deal. That is fair. But politics being as it -- you know, what I said is true: It’s not about ObamaCare. You know that Senator, this is about the whole entitlement culture. It’s a much bigger thing.”

Rubio: “Right. The issue of ObamaCare is about a much broader agenda to inject more government control over our lives and over our economy. But I’m dealing right now with a very focused issue. Let me give you an example. On this very day in Florida, it was announced that 300,000 people are going to lose their individual coverage because of ObamaCare. Now those people next year, they don’t have health insurance. They are going to owe the IRS money in the form of a fine. Where are they supposed to go now and buy that health insurance if the website isn’t working, if Consumer Reports is telling people to avoid the website? So, what this bill does is it says basically this: until that website is certified to be functioning, you cannot enforce this on people. It’s simply not fair.”

O’Reilly: “Did you see the polls today saying, you know, that the Tea Party, 25% of Americans approve, 75% don’t approve and the Republican Party is not much better, maybe 30%, 32% approve? You think that’s a real troubling situation for you guys?”

Rubio: “You know, these polls fluctuate. They come and go. I mean, if we lived our lives based on polls, you know, we wouldn’t be able to do anything else. The bottom line is that we have some very serious issues that this country is confronting. You’ve outlined some of them in your Talking Points Memo tonight. But at the basis of all of this is that the American Dream as we know it, what makes our country special, it’s being eroded and we’re running out of time to do something about it. And I certainly feel like people in my party are fighting on the right side of that.”

interview on “The O’Reilly Factor” U.S. Senator Marco Rubio October 22, 2013

Senator Marco Rubio 284 Russell Senate Office Building Washington DC, 20510 Phone: 202-224-3041

HealthCare.gov Development, Decision to Hide Premium Prices from Shoppers was Made One Month Before Launch

HealthCare.gov Development, Decision to Hide Premium Prices from Shoppers was Made One Month Before Launch.

Decision to Hide Prices from Shoppers was Made One Month Before Launch, Contractors Tell Oversight Committee

WASHINGTON – Leaders on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are seeking answers from the Obama Administration’s top technology officials about the development of the problem-plagued federal insurance exchange website, HealthCare.gov, in a letter announced today. Information obtained by the Committee indicates that, just one month before the website’s launch, the Administration directed contractors to change the site’s design to hide price comparisons from unregistered shoppers.

“Given the information gathered by the Committee thus far, we are concerned that the Administration required contractors to change course late in the implementation process to conceal ObamaCare’s effect on increasing health insurance premiums,” the letter to Steve VanRoekel, the Chief Information Officer, and Todd Park, the Chief Technology Officer, at the White House Office of Management and Budget, states. “We believe that the political decision to mask the ‘sticker shock’ of ObamaCare to the American people prevented contractors from using universally accepted and OMB-advocated IT ‘best practices’ in the development and roll out of this massive federal government IT project. When prudent design and programming decisions are subordinated to politics, the result is the chaotic mess we have today.”

The letter, signed by Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Subcommittee Chairmen John Mica, R-Fla., James Lankford, R-Okla., Jim Jordan, R-Ohio and Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, cites January 9, 2013 and October 16, 2013 briefings with CGI Federal Inc., one of the major contractors tasked with building the federal health insurance exchange website.

“CGI officials told Committee staff that CMS officials and employees constantly mentioned the ‘White House’ when discussing matters with CGI. For example, CMS officials would routinely state: ‘this is what the White House wants,’” the letter continues. “Moreover, CGI officials told Committee staff that the ability to shop for health insurance without registering for an account – a central design feature of the health insurance exchange – was removed ‘in late August or early September.’”

“Although, CGI officials were not able to identify who within the Administration made the decision to disable the anonymous shopping feature, evidence is mounting that political considerations motivated the decision,” the letter finds.

The Committee has longstanding legislative jurisdiction over federal information technology (IT) acquisition. Most recently, the Committee released a June 2013 staff report on flawed contracting processes for IT purchases at the IRS. The Committee has also sent several letters to Health and Human Services’ Secretary Kathleen Sebelius about contracting practices at HHS and HHS’s role in ObamaCare implementation. In September 2013, the Committee issued a staff report detailing the security risks posed by the Administration’s extralegal Navigator and Assister outreach campaign.

You can read a copy of the letter here: Decision to Hide Prices from Shoppers

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 2157 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5074 Fax: (202) 225-3974

Weekly Republican Address Ken Cuccinelli 10/19/13 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT VIDEO

Weekly Republican Address Ken Cuccinelli 10/19/13 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT VIDEO

In the Weekly Republican Address, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli speaks about the failure of the Obamacare rollout earlier this month, but notes that the President's health care law "was fundamentally broken even before it started." Cuccinelli, the first attorney general in America to challenge the law in federal court, says, "President Obama's ideas are deeply flawed and the implementation of this law has been a national embarrassment. Let me be plain, the law that carries the President's name is the hallmark of a reckless federal bureaucracy that has lost its way."

FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:

“Hello, I’m Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.

“Today, our nation and the Commonwealth of Virginia face tremendous challenges. Citizens are seeking leaders who are willing to speak out and stand up for our first principles and take on a federal government that is out of control, eating away our liberty and crushing opportunity.

“This gross government overreach is best exemplified in the so-called Affordable Care Act. ObamaCare represents one of the largest and most reckless expansions of government in the more than 200-year history of our nation.

“I believe that ObamaCare is unconstitutional. I believe it’s an affront to the freedoms and liberties our founding fathers fought to establish on our behalf. I’m proud to say many of those heroes were Virginians, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry.

“Because I believed ObamaCare was an affront to our liberty, I stood up. I was the first attorney general in America to challenge the law in federal court. And today, I continue to search for avenues to minimize ObamaCare’s hurtful impact on Virginians.

“During the debate over this law, citizens in the Commonwealth were told they could easily access information about their health care choices and join the system, well that proved to be untrue. They were told their premiums wouldn’t increase, that proved to be false. And they were told they could keep access to their insurance and their doctors, and that proved to be downright dishonest.

“Today, our citizens are deeply concerned about what the future holds. What kind of country will we hand to our children? As a husband and proud father of seven, my wife and I share these concerns.

“It's why I stood up and said ObamaCare is not right for Virginia. It’s why I fought alongside 27 other state attorneys general and said ObamaCare is not right for America. It’s why I am sharing this message with you today. I know we can do better…

“My alma mater – the University of Virginia – just announced that it will no longer be able to provide health care coverage to many spouses of their thousands of employees. And just two weeks ago, the Fairfax County Water Authority, a significant government employer in Northern Virginia, announced that it’s going to have to drop coverage for its employees because of ObamaCare’s taxes.

“Everywhere you look, there’s more evidence that ObamaCare was fundamentally broken even before it started. And while our citizens bear the brunt of the law, it seems like big corporations and special interests have gotten exempted. Even Members of Congress are getting preferential treatment, yet everyday Virginians, of whom I am privileged to count myself, are paying the costs and experiencing diminished freedoms.

“President Obama’s ideas are deeply flawed and the implementation of this law has been a national embarrassment. Let me be plain, the law that carries the President’s name is the hallmark of a reckless federal government that has lost its way.

“As Attorney General of a Commonwealth which was one of our nation’s first 13 colonies, and the birthplace of American democracy, I’ll never stand by and watch as our hard fought freedoms are taken away.

“We can do better. We need to provide flexibility and choice within our health care system. Our citizens shouldn’t be forced to choose insurance providers and doctors who’ve been preselected by government bureaucrats. We need to open up the insurance market and allow cross state purchase of insurance to drive competition and lower premiums.

“Physicians are fleeing Medicaid because they're paid so little and have to spend more time completing regulatory paperwork, time they would rather spend treating their patients. Our citizens should be able to choose the health care providers who they believe will provide the best care for their needs, and we shouldn't have to make our healthcare decisions with 16,000 IRS agents looming as the ObamaCare enforcers.

“Most importantly, we need to reverse the perverse incentives that have raised the cost of insurance premiums and have forced employers to drop health care benefits and full-time jobs in order to stay in business.

“Our health care system should be transparent at all levels and provide pricing to inform and empower American families.

“We should support market based solutions for health care reform and empower patients free of government control. More and more government in health care has proven to make it worse, not better! America needs to go the other way, trusting our people and our doctors to work out a system that's best for healthcare, not marching to the senseless beat of some far off government drum.

“If the politicians who gave us this train wreck expect us to live by this law, then the same law without special exemptions should apply to Congress. Is that really too much to ask?

“ObamaCare serves as a grave threat to the future prosperity of the citizens of Virginia, and I’ll continue to resist expanding it. Not just in Washington, but in every state in America. I promise that I'll do my part in Virginia, and I know you'll do yours! Together we can make America better tomorrow than it is today.

“Thank you for listening.

“God bless each one of you.

“And God bless our beloved country.”

Marsha Blackburn on her vote in opposition to the McConnell-Reid debt ceiling proposal

Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) issued the following statement on her vote in opposition to the McConnell-Reid debt ceiling proposal.

“While I believe it important to make sure our nation does not default on our debt, I cannot support the Senate proposal in it’s current form. House Republicans have fought to provide the same relief to hard-working Americans that the Obama Administration has generously provided to unions and big business to negate the impact of Obamacare. Every American should be treated equally under the law. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case in our nation’s capitol.

“Not only have President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Reid refused to come to the table and negotiate with us on the issues that are the drivers of our nation’s debt but the President won't even agree to give up his own gold-plated health insurance plan and enter into the state exchanges like me, my staff and many of my constituents.

“As the Budget Committees convene a budget conference, I will continue to work to enact spending cuts that are equal to the lift in the debt ceiling. We simply cannot continue to spend more money than we take in. As we begin discussions on the budget we must turn our focus on the harmful impact that Obamacare is having on our nation’s long-term spending. In refusing to confront the core problems that created this debt crisis, we fail to do the work the American people expect. We can’t keep kicking the can down the road.”


Congressman Blackburn is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives serving Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. She serves as Vice Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee and also holds a seat on the Budget Committee. Blackburn is a founding member of the Republican Women’s Policy Committee.

Marsha Blackburn Washington, Oct 16 | Mike Reynard(202-225-1112) Washington, DC Office 217 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 T (202) 225-2811 F (202) 225-3004

Cut Spending & Grow the Economy

Cut Spending & Grow the Economy. Republicans refuse to support Democrats' attempts to increase spending and raise the debt limit by a trillion dollars. We continue to fight for policies to grow the economy and strengthen the middle class.

RepublicanSenators. Category: News & Politics. License: Standard YouTube License

Republicans should continue to stand with working people against Obamacare

Sen. Cruz Statement on Obamacare, Government Funding, and the Debt Ceiling. "Republicans should continue to stand with working people against Obamacare"

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) released the following statement regarding Obamacare and the debate over government funding and the debt ceiling:

"The American people don't want Obamacare, and they don't want more debt. The American people did not rally across the nation in August and September, sign petitions by the millions, and shut down the congressional switchboard to now be left out of deals being negotiated in backrooms.

"Republicans in Washington -- who control the House of Representatives and 46 seats in the Senate -- should continue to stand with working people against Obamacare. Democrats are refusing to negotiate and refusing to compromise; their position is patently unreasonable, and we should emphatically make that case to the American people.

"House Republicans have heroically led this fight, and they should stand firm. Patience and courage and persistence is required, and will not come from the permanent beltway class.

"So-called grand bargains historically have been neither grand nor a bargain -- typically resulting in more debt, more spending, and more government.

"The American people expect their government to function -- and we can ensure that right now. We can fund our essential priorities and commit to paying our debt first, even while opposing Obamacare.

"The people want jobs and strong economic growth back, and Obamacare is a major impediment to both. As long as we keep listening to the people and fighting for jobs and prosperity, Republicans will win this debate."

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Senator Ted Cruz Washington Office 185 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-5922Contact: press@cruz.senate.gov / (202) 228-7561 Saturday, October 12, 2013

The White House Built Sloppy IT Architecture VIDEO

Dr. Burgess on the Floor: The White House Built Sloppy IT Architecture VIDEO. Last week Congressman Michael C. Burgess M.D. spoke on the House floor regarding problems with the Health Care Exchanges.

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Congressman Paul Ryan at Values Voter Summit 2013 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT and VIDEO

Congressman Paul Ryan at Values Voter Summit 2013 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT and VIDEO

We have an opportunity here to pay down our national debt and jumpstart our economy. You know, divided government, it’s frustrating. But our country is worth the effort. We have to find a way to make it work. Now, this president, he won’t agree to everything that we need to do. A budget agreement with this president and this Senate, it won’t solve all of our problems. But I hope it’s a start. I hope we can get a down payment on our debt.

Full Text Transcript in PDF Format: 2013 Values Voter Summit Congressman Paul Ryan

Dr. Ben Carson at Values Voter Summit 2013 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT and VIDEO

Dr. Ben Carson at Values Voter Summit 2013 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT and VIDEO

My dream was to become a doctor. As a youngster growing up in Detroit and Boston, it seemed like a lofty goal, but something that I felt was obtainable. And when I finally did achieve that dream as an intern and a junior resident at Johns Hopkins, one of the things that really struck me as I went into those wards, and I would see all of these people – the CEO of this company, the president of this organization, the crown prince of this country, the queen of this nation – frequently dying of some horrible disease, and every single one of them would have gladly given every penny and every title for a clean bill of health.

And you begin to realize how critically important your health is. It is the most valuable thing that you have. Everything else pales into insignificance compared to your health. And that’s the reason that your health should be controlled by you and not by the government.

Full Text Transcript in PDF Format: 2013 Values Voter Summit Dr. Ben Carson

Ted Cruz (R-Texas) at Values Voter Summit 2013 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT and VIDEO

Ted Cruz (R-Texas) at Values Voter Summit 2013 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT and VIDEO

I am here this morning with a word of encouragement and exhortation. I want to say two things: Number one, these are extraordinary times. These are not typical times. The challenges facing this country are unlike any we have ever seen. You look at our Constitution, you look at our Bill of Rights, this is an administration that seems bound and determined to violate every single of our Bill of Rights.

Full Text Transcript in PDF Format: 2013 Values Voter Summit Senator Ted Cruz

Weekly Republican Address Buck McKeon 10/12/13 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT VIDEO

Weekly Republican Address Buck McKeon 10/12/13 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT VIDEO. In this week's address, Chairman Buck McKeon describes how both parties came together this week to make sure that the families of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country were given the benefits they deserve. This bipartisanship should continue, both as we look towards ways at reopening our entire government, and as we tackle our nation's enormous debt. After all, sitting down and resolving our differences is exactly what Americans expect their leaders to do.

FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

"Hello, I’m Buck McKeon, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.

"For all the focus on disagreements in Washington, we’ve actually found some common ground this week.

"On Thursday, President Obama signed legislation that guarantees death benefits for the families of fallen troops will continue to be paid out during the government shutdown.

"We’ve also come together to ensure that members of our military and the civilians who support them will be paid no matter what.

"We shouldn’t stop there.

"The House has passed more than a dozen bills providing funding for things we can all agree on.

"Veterans, cancer research, National Guard, national parks, Head Start, food safety, flight safety, border security, nuclear weapon security, and more.

"President Obama and Senate Democrats should back these bills immediately.

"Then the president should work with us on plans to reopen the entire government and make sure we do not default on our debts.

"After all, sitting down and resolving our differences is exactly what Americans expect their leaders to do – especially at times like this.

"To that end, a group of House Republicans, including myself, went to the White House on Thursday to talk with the president and see where we can find common ground. Those conversations are continuing.

"Now, I’m sure all this back-and-forth has sounded like the typical Washington drama. But politics isn’t about politicians. It isn’t about Washington. It’s about you and your family.

"It’s about building an economy that generates good-paying jobs and real prosperity.

"It’s about making sure there’s fairness for everyone under the president’s health care law – so that hardworking people like you get the same relief big businesses have received.

"It’s about stemming the tide of debt and deficits that threatens to wash out an entire generation’s opportunities.

"And it's about ensuring our troops in harm's way, and their families, are taken care of, the same way they take care of us at home.

"Preserving the American Dream. That’s what this is about.

"And the longer we go on settling for maybe-next-time, for this notion that putting things off until after the next election is okay, the harder this will get.

"It’s a challenge, but we can do this. Let’s get back to work, together.

"Thank you for listening."

Congressman Rob Bishop Votes to Provide Security and Support to Families of Fallen Heroes

WASHINGTON— Today, Congressman Rob Bishop (UT-01) voted in support the Honoring the Families of Fallen Soldiers Act and the Flight Safety Act. The Senate must vote in support of both bills before they go to the President for signature.

“The House continues to work toward addressing the unintended consequences that have come as a result of President Obama and Senator Harry Reid’s refusal to work with us on a budget agreement. There is certainly common ground that can be found in all of this but it takes the willingness of both parties in both chambers of Congress to come together. Today, both democrats and republicans came together to pass legislation that will fund the Federal Aviation Administration, which helps ensure safe air travel across the country.

We also passed legislation supporting the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The Administration should choose to restore payments to these families immediately. In the event that they don’t, this legislation will ensure that families get the benefits necessary to address their needs during this difficult time. These families should not have had to worry in the first place and shame on President Obama for not stepping up to the plate to reassure them that they would receive the help and support they deserve. It appears the Administration allowed this matter to linger as part of their efforts to be as vindictive about the shutdown as possible. The Senate should pass both bills immediately,” said Bishop.


Washington, Oct 9 | Melissa.Subbotin@mail.house.gov Washington Office 123 Cannon Building Washington, DC 20515 ph: 202-225-0453 fax: 202-225-5857

House Energy and Commerce Committee Pursues Greater Transparency, Requests Health Care Enrollment Figures

Committee Leaders Seeking Analysis of Federal Marketplaces and First Week Enrollment Numbers, Also Request Monthly Updates on Enrollment

WASHINGTON, DC – House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders today sent a request to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius seeking data on the number of individuals who have purchased a health care plan through the law’s new exchanges. In the months leading up to open-enrollment, administration officials insisted everything was “on track,” going so far as to assure members less than two weeks before launch, “Consumers will be able to go online, they will be able to get a determination of what tax subsidies they are eligible for, they’ll be able to look at the plans that are available where they live, they will be able to see the premium net of subsidy that they would have to pay, and they will be able to choose a plan and get enrolled in coverage beginning October 1.” Despite over three and a half years to prepare, last week’s launch was defined by errors and “glitches” in all fifty states and the District of Columbia.

“For the last three and a half years, the administration repeatedly promised that everything was ‘on track’ for enrollment, but widespread reports of website failures and the administration’s lack of transparency suggest otherwise,” said full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI). “Although the administration was quick to boast how many people visited their website the first week, they have been silent on the most important numbers of all, enrollment. It is time for the administration to provide regular updates on enrollment figures to ensure the American people have a real understanding just how implementation is proceeding.”

In the letter to Sebelius, the committee leaders write, “To date, the administration has only provided information about the number of visits to healthcare.gov, the number of web-chats, and the number of calls to a toll-free number. No information has been released on the number of Americans that have actually enrolled. Multiple reports indicate, though, that some states failed to enroll anyone on the first day. The reasons for this are not clear. Are website failures preventing enrollment? Are consumers balking at the price of coverage, which was predicted to be significantly higher for many individuals?”

In order to better determine the progress of the health care law’s implementation, members are calling on the administration to release enrollment figures and an evaluation of the federal marketplaces. They add, “going forward we ask that your agency provide monthly updates to the committee on enrollment until March 31, 2014, including the number of individuals enrolled and the performance of the federally facilitated marketplaces. If you are unable to provide this information to the committee on this timetable, provide a written response identifying the specific reasons why HHS is not able to confirm the number of individuals who have successfully enrolled in the federally facilitated marketplaces.”

In addition to Chairman Upton, the letter was signed by Vice Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chairman Emeritus Joe Barton (R-TX), Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA), Health Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts, (R-PA), Vice Chairman of the Health and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittees Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), and the GOP members of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.

FULL TEXT IN PDF FORMAT Read the full text of the letter here.

Committee on Energy and Commerce 2125 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-2927 tel (202) 225-1919 fax

House Passes Food & Drug Safety Act

WASHINGTON, DC – House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) released the following statement after the House of Representatives approved H.J.Res. 77, the Food and Drug Safety Act:

“Senate Democrats and the president shut down the government to protect special breaks for Congress and big businesses under ObamaCare, and won’t negotiate to open the government back up. So the House has passed several individual measures to make sure critical services – veterans benefits, cancer research, and now food safety – are still up and running. We need the Senate to act on these bills now, and then come to the table so we can resolve our differences and end their needless shutdown.”

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Office of the Speaker H-232 The Capitol. Washington D.C. 20515. P: (202) 225-0600. F: (202) 225-5117

Congressman Ton Graves Votes To Fund Low Income Women and Children, Disaster Recovery

Congressman Ton Graves Votes To Fund Low Income Women and Children, Disaster Recovery

U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) issued the following statement after voting for, and the House passed, legislation to provide funding for nutrition assistance for low income women and children as well as emergency response and disaster recovery efforts:

"Once again, House Republicans and Democrats have joined together to fund common ground areas of government. We are committed to keeping as much of the government open as possible until Harry Reid and Senate Democrats agree to negotiate. Today, we acted to ensure that nutrition assistance for low income women and children and funding for emergency response efforts are not impacted by the partial shutdown. Sadly, Harry Reid will not allow the Senate to vote on these bills.

“It’s time for Harry Reid to come to the table and talk through our differences. As an appointed negotiator for Republicans, I am ready to work with Democrats to pass a fair funding bill and open the entire government today.”

Today the House passed the following funding bills:

H.J. Res. 75 - Nutrition Assistance for Low-Income Women and Children Act

H.J. Res. 85 - National Emergency and Disaster Recovery Act

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Congressman Ton Graves. WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE 432 Cannon House Office Bldg.Washington, DC 20515 T (202) 225-5211 F (202) 225-8272