THE DAILY WHIP: THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

**Members are advised that following last votes, the House is expected to consider general debate of H.R 1190. Any recorded vote requested will be postponed until next week.

H.Res. 321 – Rule providing for consideration of a Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment with an Amendment to H.R. 2146 – Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (Rep. Ryan (WI) – Ways and Means) (One Hour of Debate). The Rules Committee has recommended a Rule that provides for one hour of general debate on a motion to concur, equally divided and controlled by the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ways & Means. The Rule also waives all points of order against the motion to concur.

The Rules Committee rejected a motion by Ms. Slaughter of New York to consider H.R. 2146 under an open Rule. Members are urged to VOTE NO.

Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment with an Amendment to H.R. 2146 – Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (Rep. Ryan (WI) – Ways and Means) (One Hour of Debate). This proposed House amendment would add to the underlying bill the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) language from the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1314 that was voted on in the House last week. That vote can be found here.

The TPA provisions would extend “fast track” authority for six years, allowing the President to negotiate international trade agreements and submit them for Congressional approval under expedited procedures. The TPA language includes instructions and a series of negotiating objectives for the President to achieve in negotiating trade agreements, as well as a series of requirements for consultation with the Congress and the public. The bill also provides procedures for Congressional consideration of legislation to implement agreements reached under TPA – protecting such agreements from amendment or filibuster.

Bill Text for the House Amendment to H.R. 2146:
PDF Version

Complete Consideration of H.R. 160 – Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015 (Rep. Paulsen – Ways and Means) (One Hour of Debate). This bill would repeal, without offset, the excise tax established by the ACA on medical devices manufactured in the U.S. or imported going forward. 

Because most sectors of the health industry were correctly expected to benefit from additional revenue when millions of previously uninsured Americans gained coverage under the ACA, the ACA included a series of provisions that asked those industries that are benefitting to contribute a portion of their additional revenue to help pay for the newly insured. These provisions helped to ensure that the ACA reduces the deficit, as confirmed time and again by the Congressional Budget Office. In the case of the medical devices, this contribution comes in the form of a 2.3% excise tax on revenues from all devices sold in the United States.

The JCT estimates that this permanent tax cut will add $24.4 billion to the deficit over 10 years, and Republicans have chosen to bring the bill to the Floor without providing an offset.

This permanent tax cut comes on the heels of several other permanent tax extender bills that Republicans have brought to the Floor without offsets this year, which would add $611 billion to the deficit. The choice made by House Republicans to address these provisions one by one, while adding their cost to the deficit, represents an irresponsible approach – one that not only undermines the ACA but will also make reaching comprehensive tax reform and fixing our broken tax system harder.

Further, this bill marks the 59th time that Republicans have voted to repeal, defund or undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Despite the Supreme Court’s upholding of the law’s constitutionality, the reelection of President Obama, and Speaker John Boehner’s declaration that: “Obamacare is the law of the land,” Republicans refuse to stop wasting time and taxpayer money in their effort to take away the patient protections and benefits of the Affordable Care Act.

Positive effects of the Affordable Care Act are already being seen across the country: over 16 million previously uninsured Americans now have health insurance, people cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition, women cannot be charged more for the same insurance policy, and the rate of Medicare cost growth is at the lowest it has been in 50 years. However, Republicans are making it once again clear that repealing the Affordable Care Act is their only goal.

The White House agrees and has issued the attached SAP stating that the President’s senior advisors would recommend that he veto this bill. If House Republicans are serious about fiscal responsibility, they should work with Democrats to make the tough decisions necessary to address our broken tax code through comprehensive tax reform, which would address these and other tax provisions in a way that does not add to deficits and does not limit our ability to invest in domestic discretionary priorities. Members are urged to VOTE NO.

Bill Text for H.R. 160:
PDF Version

Background for H.R. 160:
House Report (HTML Version)
House Report (PDF Version)

Continue Consideration of H.R. 1190 – Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2015 (Rep. Roe – Ways and Means) (One Hour of Debate). This bill would repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), which was established under the ACA in response to high rates of growth in Medicare expenditures and charged with developing proposals to "reduce the per capita rate of growth in Medicare spending." However, due in part to the success of the Affordable Care Act in slowing Medicare’s growth rate, CBO projects that the IPAB will not be triggered until 2024. By repealing IPAB before it has a chance to work, the bill would eliminate an important safeguard that will help reduce the rate of Medicare cost growth responsibly while protecting Medicare beneficiaries. The bill is simply another in a long line of House Republican efforts to undermine both the Medicare guarantee and the Affordable Care Act.

Further, because the CBO has estimated that the cost of repealing IPAB would be $7.1 billion over 10 years, Republicans have chosen to pay for the cost of repeal with cuts to the ACA’s Prevention and Public Health Fund. This fund is used to make national investments in prevention and public health, to improve health outcomes, and to enhance health care quality. It has been used to increase awareness of and access to preventive health services and reduce tobacco use - concentrating on the causes of chronic disease to help more Americans stay healthy.

Eliminating these funds in the name of damaging the sustainability of Medicare is a two-pronged attack on our nation’s public health. The White House agrees and has issued a SAP stating that the President’s senior advisors would recommend that he veto this bill.

This bill marks the 60th time that Republicans have voted to repeal, defund or undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Despite the Supreme Court’s upholding of the law’s constitutionality, the reelection of President Obama, and Speaker John Boehner’s declaration that: “Obamacare is the law of the land,” Republicans refuse to stop wasting time and taxpayer money in their effort to take away the patient protections and benefits of the Affordable Care Act.

Positive effects of the Affordable Care Act are already being seen across the country: over 16 million previously uninsured Americans now have health insurance, people cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition, women cannot be charged more for the same insurance policy, and the rate of Medicare cost growth is at the lowest it has been in 50 years. However, Republicans are making it once again clear that repealing the Affordable Care Act is their only goal. Members are urged to VOTE NO.

Bill Text for H.R. 1190:
PDF Version

Background for H.R. 1190:
House Report (HTML Version)
House Report (PDF Version)