Hoyer Statement on the Senate GOP Tax Scam Bill Eliminating the Individual Mandate
Press Types
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
November 14, 2017
Contact Info:
Mariel Saez 202-225-3130
WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after Senate Republicans included a provision to eliminate the individual mandate in their tax scam bill that gives tax breaks to the wealthy and raises taxes on the middle class:
“Under pressure from a President who doesn’t understand how Congress works, Senate Republicans are now including in their tax bill a provision to eliminate the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate. This, effectively, would collapse our health insurance markets, spike premiums, and lead to 13 million more Americans uninsured – all in the name of finding additional offsets to pay for tax cuts to the wealthiest few. Republicans have already failed to dismantle the Affordable Care Act twice; apparently they believe making the same mistake a third time will yield a different outcome. I suspect they will quickly discover that is not the case.
“I also presume that many Republicans in the House, who are being asked to vote this week for a bill they know will not become law, will start wondering what other unpopular and dangerous provisions will be added to the Senate’s version before it is inevitably presented to them later this year as the one and only option for enacting a tax bill. With not enough time allotted under their self-imposed deadlines for differing versions to be reconciled through conference, House Republicans must know that whatever version the Senate passes will be the final version they are asked to approve.”
“Under pressure from a President who doesn’t understand how Congress works, Senate Republicans are now including in their tax bill a provision to eliminate the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate. This, effectively, would collapse our health insurance markets, spike premiums, and lead to 13 million more Americans uninsured – all in the name of finding additional offsets to pay for tax cuts to the wealthiest few. Republicans have already failed to dismantle the Affordable Care Act twice; apparently they believe making the same mistake a third time will yield a different outcome. I suspect they will quickly discover that is not the case.
“I also presume that many Republicans in the House, who are being asked to vote this week for a bill they know will not become law, will start wondering what other unpopular and dangerous provisions will be added to the Senate’s version before it is inevitably presented to them later this year as the one and only option for enacting a tax bill. With not enough time allotted under their self-imposed deadlines for differing versions to be reconciled through conference, House Republicans must know that whatever version the Senate passes will be the final version they are asked to approve.”