Congress Should Not Shield Itself from the Healthcare Law
Congress Should Not Shield Itself from the Healthcare Law
Exemption for Lawmakers, Staff from The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is Hypocrisy
(Washington, D.C.) – With the October 1st enrollment date in the exchanges under ACA (Obamacare) looming, Congressional leaders pressed President Obama to find a way to shield them and their staff from some of the worst effects of the Act. According to press reports, Congress is concerned about losing experienced legislative aides to the private sector because of regulations under the plan. The President assured them prior to their August recess, that he would become personally involved. On Friday it was reported that the White House and the Office of Personnel Management would soon release regulations to exempt the very people responsible for its passing.
Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative released the following statement:
"This is the worst kind of hypocrisy – as we learn more about the requirements under ACA, the unions who advocated for it are now opposed, the IRS employees who enforce it don't want it, and now the Senators and Representatives who voted for it are requesting exemptions. If this healthcare law is not good enough for them, it is not good enough for the people, either."
Read other recent troubling developments in the roll-out of ACA:
- The union that represents employees of the IRS – which will enforce key parts of the law – began lobbying its members to tell Congress not to enroll them in Obamacare exchanges.
- "Teamsters" President, James Hoffa wrote Congressional leaders to tell them Obamacare will "destroy the foundation of the 40-hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle-class."
- The Deputy Commissioner of the IRS testified to Congress that he wouldn't want to be insured through those same exchanges.
- The House of Representatives voted to block the IRS from enforcing Obamacare.
- The State of Ohio reported that individuals buying insurance will see rates rise an average of 41 percent due to the ACA.
- The State of Georgia requested a delay in the filing deadline for insurance rates under the law, due to expected increases in insurance costs.
- President Obama unilaterally suspended the employer mandate for a year.
For interviews with a LIBRE representative, please contact: Judy Pino, 202-578-6424 or Brian Faughnan, 571-257-3309.