Weekly Republican Address Renee Ellmers 12/07/13 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT PODCAST VIDEO WASHINGTON, DC – Delivering the Weekly Republican Address, Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) talks about the House’s ongoing focus on jobs and shares stories from constituents struggling to cope with the effects of the president’s health care law. Rep. Ellmers serves on the House Energy & Commerce Committee and is chair of the Republican Women’s Policy Committee.
The full audio of the address is here. Download MP3 for PODCAST
FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT - Remarks of Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) Weekly Republican Address U.S. Capitol December 7, 2013.
Merry Christmas, everyone, and hello, my name is Renee Ellmers, and I represent North Carolina’s Second Congressional District
Like many of you, I’m frustrated with the president’s health care law, especially where jobs and working families are concerned. I say this not only as a congresswoman and chair of the Republican Women’s Policy Committee; I say it as a nurse and the mother of a son in college.
After all, it’s often women who make the health care decisions for our families. We put a lot of time and thought into these choices and how they’ll affect our budgets
So by canceling your insurance – despite a promise to let you keep your plan – the Obama administration is essentially saying it knows what’s best for you and your family. Not only that, they are making you pay more – usually much more – and in many cases, taking away the doctors you’ve been seeing for years.
If you want to talk about a ‘war on women,’ look no further than this health care law.
Just consider some of the stories I’ve heard from folks in my district.
Marian from Pittsboro told me that she and her husband received cancellation notices and that the replacement would double their premiums. When she called to ask for help, the insurance company told Marian that if she doesn’t sign up for a new plan, the law requires that they enroll her in the “suggested policy.” This increase, she says, will consume their gas and grocery money for the month. She now sees no choice but to cancel their insurance altogether.
Kent and Ulli from Cary are in their mid-50s and they report that their premiums are about to jump from $248 to $968 per month. That is nearly four times higher. Ken and Ulli have always preferred a high deductible policy because they work hard to stay in good health and when they do need care, they like to shop for the best value. But as we have seen, this administration thinks it knows better than they do.
And then there’s Liz from Sanford. She’s a small business owner with only two employees: herself and her husband. Their premiums went up 127 percent on account of the new law. Liz told me that she and her husband are regular, hardworking, healthy Americans. She said “we are not wealthy. I really don’t know what will happen in the future.”
Seeing so many hardworking people have to spend the holiday season wondering ‘what’s next?’ – it’s heartbreaking. And it’s wrong.
These families wouldn’t be in this boat if those who wrote the law had listened to hardworking taxpayers instead of relying on insurance companies and big businesses. Even now, these same entities are the ones getting special delays, breaks, and workarounds from the White House.
Families who work hard and play by the rules deserve some basic choices, fairness and relief.
That’s why the House has passed legislation to delay the individual mandate for all Americans and let you keep the plan you like. These proposals are among the dozens of House-passed jobs bills awaiting action in the Democratic-run Senate. Leaders there, however, continue to stand in the way of the American people.
For our part, Republicans will continue to listen, focus on jobs, and give this law the scrutiny it deserves. We’re also going to keep pressing the president to do the right thing. If the president won't scrap this law, isn't it time for him to delay it for all Americans before it does further harm?
On behalf of all of us here, let me wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and happy holidays. Thank you for listening.
