The House of Representatives voted Wednesday on its 33rd attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a, Obamacare. The repeal measure passed, with the votes of the Republican majority and a few Democrats in conservative districts. But it was a symbolic vote, since the Democratic-controlled Senate won’t take up the bill. Even if repeal passed the Senate, President Obama obviously wouldn’t sign it. Here’s what three Illinois Republicans have to say about Obamacare.
Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria, on Fox News’ On the Record w/Greta van Susteren:
“The people, at a growing number, are opposed to this legislation. I was home last week, at the 4th of July holiday, doing a slew of parades, and people were running up saying, ‘We know the Supreme Court weighed in, but please, do us a favor. Repeal this bill. We’re five months before Election Day. It’s important for policy, but also for people to put their marker down, where they stand on this issue…People view the Obamacare law as a huge driver to hire new people, and it’s one of the reason why people aren’t hiring.”
Rep. Joe Walsh, R-McHenry, speaking on the House floor in his capacity as chairman of the Small Business Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access:
“The small business health care tax credit has proven incredibly ineffective. The [Government Accounting Office] itself has said it is much too complex, and like everything Washington does, its temporary nature has really done nothing to reduce the cost of health care for small business. Mr. Speaker, my state of Illinois is hurting. Real unemployment has been above 11 percent for the past three years. I’ve hears from employers throughout my district that they do not support the president’s health care law. They do not support the more than 13,000 pages of new regulations. They’re already buried under regulations. They don’t support the 21 new taxes. They’re already overtaxed. And they definitely do not support the increased health care costs. They’ve seen their health care costs rise at an unsustainable rate. Mr. Speaker, the numbers speak for themselves: 74 percent of small businesses say the law makes it more difficult to hire additional employees. Why don’t my colleagues on the other side listen to the people who create jobs in this country? Why do my colleagues on the other side always think they have all the answers? It’s time we listened. It’s time we repeal back Obamacare.”
Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Hinsdale, in The New York Times:
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Representative Judy Biggert, an Illinois Republican in a tough fight in a district outside Chicago, said she would vote to repeal. But she said she wanted to maintain the law’s mandated coverage of people with pre-existing medical conditions, its prohibition on rescinding insurance coverage when a customer gets sick and its coverage for young adults under 26.
“I disagree with the leaders there,” she said, adding, “We should schedule a vote on alternative reforms with the same urgency we pursue repeal.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Dick Durbin says Republicans are wasting their time: “No repeal of the health care reform is going to take place this year. The Republicans know that. They are posturing for the political situation and the political scene.”
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