Press Releases

U.S. Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-TX) issued the following statement after voting against H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, a bill that would lead our nation to an unprecedented federal takeover of the healthcare system.

“Today, Speaker Pelosi forced through a vote on a sweeping government takeover of healthcare, blatantly ignoring the voices of struggling American individuals and families who for months have vocally rejected this unprecedented power grab. Americans desire reform that provides them with quality, affordable access to healthcare, but this plan undermines that goal and serves as an affront to individual freedoms.
 
This healthcare takeover is the pinnacle of the false “government knows best” thinking that currently reigns in Washington. The bill tells Americans that they and their doctors cannot be trusted to make their own healthcare decisions and would be best to leave such matters to big brother government’s control.

The bill also slashes hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicare funding that will significantly hurt our seniors, wrongfully penalize employers and small businesses with hundreds of billions of dollars in tax increases, while heaping a $1.3 trillion price tag on Americans and future generations. Although many seniors have paid into Medicare for 40 years, their Medicare would be cut while some illegally here will get free coverage. The great “change” the Pelosi/Obama coalition promised takes us in the wrong direction - millions of individuals and families being forced off their private insurance, millions more losing their jobs when unemployment has already reached double digits, and insurance premiums increasing even higher while Americans are struggling to pay the bills. For example, Section 501 will affect those who make too much to get free healthcare but make too little to afford it for themselves by hitting them with a TAX. So much for the President’s promises for the middle class.

A takeover of this nature will require putting people on lists for particular healthcare which effectively denies coverage without coming right out and saying that seniors will never get the healthcare services they need to enhance or save their lives. It will result in a loss of specialized doctors in the future, stifling the innovation that makes America the place where people from all over the world come when they really need good care. Once the government controls, rations, and pays for healthcare, it will then have the right to monitor the lives and businesses of Americans. The bill even provides for studies of many businesses to see if they are making business decisions that will keep them solvent - as if the federal government knows how to stay solvent.

Despite the result today in the House of Representatives, I will continue to fight to preserve the liberty and free enterprise in Washington, D.C. With passionate Americans organizing, having tea parties, and coming to Washington to make their voices heard, the Senate should be rightfully scared to bring this disaster up for a vote. Americans will surely continue to make their voices heard or vote of those who refuse to hear."

Rep. Gohmert says some of the most significant concerns regarding the legislation include the bill’s estimated $1.3 TRILLION cost that will be burdened by taxpayers and $729.5 billion in tax increases that will largely fall on the backs of our nation’s small businesses. In addition, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Douglas Elmendorf stated that proposals contained in this legislation do not reduce healthcare costs but instead “significantly expands the federal responsibility” for these costs. Experts have also estimated the legislation will cause 114 million people to be forced off their private insurance plans and result in 5.5 million job losses, a grim consequence following recent news that the nation’s rate unemployment rose to 10.2% in October. It also cuts Medicare benefits to seniors by over $460 billion, and will allow illegal immigrants to receive the benefits of government sponsored care.
 
In light of these harmful measures, Congressman Gohmert noted, “This bill brings change, but it sure kills hope.”
 
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