LIBRE Responds to President’s Health Care Speech

For Immediate Release

July 17, 2013

Media Contact: Judy Pino, 202-578-6424 or Brian Faughnan, 571-257-3309

LIBRE Responds to President's Health Care Speech

Senate Must Vote on Individual Mandate

(Washington, D.C.) -Today President Obama spoke about the virtues of the Affordable Care Act, in the wake of the vote by the House of Representatives to suspend both the employer mandate and individual mandate for one year. Both of these measures passed on bipartisan votes. The speech also comes at a time when Congressional allies are saying that the President's handling of health care violates the law, and longtime union supporters warn Congress that the health care law will "destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week." Further, in the court of public opinion, polling indicates the House vote is strongly supported by the American people – with one survey showing Americans support a delay in the mandate by a margin of 56%-26%.

Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative released the following statement:

"Today's speech is political theater – a misleading campaign appearance intended to distract from a law that's falling apart. Since the law was enacted, the average premium has gone up by more than $2,000. Now President Obama has lifted the requirement that employers offer insurance because he too saw it was unfair and unworkable. The same is true of the individual mandate. The President and his supporters complain the health care debate has become too partisan. But yesterday's bipartisan House vote to delay parts of the law for just one year included 35 Democrats – indicating a change of heart within his own party. Now the Senate should act in a bipartisan way to bring this to a vote. It's simply unfair to force American families to comply with a mandate they strongly oppose, while letting others off the hook."

For interviews with a LIBRE representative, please contact:  Judy Pino, 202-578-6424 or Brian Faughnan, 571-257-3309, 571-257-3309.

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