Perspective: Bill passed to repeal Obamacare

The first major piece of legislation passed in 2016 is a bill that reflects the will of the American people.

For the first time since a glitch-filled, health care website was deployed, health plans and doctors were canceled and premiums skyrocketed - the president has to tell the American people why he is not listening to their concerns and standing behind a health policy that is harming our country and its people.

This week, the House passed a bill that dismantles the president's health care law and blocks Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding. More specifically, this bill repeals the health care law's individual mandate, employer mandate, 40 percent excise tax and the medical device tax, among other things.

Let me make clear why this particular bill is so important.

Americans were horrified when the news broke last year that Planned Parenthood employees were engaged in the sale of the dismembered body parts of infants. To make this brutal reality worse, Planned Parenthood received nearly $554 million in taxpayer funding in the last fiscal year.

Though there is not a single appropriations line that allocates funding to Planned Parenthood, this organization receives funding through family planning grants contracted by the Administration and payments made through Medicaid and Medicare. This is completely unacceptable, especially since abortions made up 94 percent of Planned Parenthood's pregnancy services last year.

In order to prevent taxpayer dollars from reaching this organization, the reconciliation bill fully blocks all federal funding from flowing to Planned Parenthood and directs this vital revenue to Community Health Centers. These centers truly provide a range of health services for women's health, and there are currently 20 CHCs for every one Planned Parenthood facility.

Additionally, since the enactment of the president's health care law, Americans have had promises broken to them about their very own health coverage. People are hurting under Obamacare with premiums only rising - not going down contrary to what was promised. By putting this reconciliation bill on the president's desk, he has to answer to the millions of Americans about his decision whether or not to veto this legislation or he could allow his cohorts in the Senate to tie it up and defeat it as they have done dozens of time in the past.

Regardless, of what decision the president makes, Congress will forge ahead. If the president does veto this legislation, the House will hold a vote to override the veto and it is my strong hope the Senate can come together and join with the House.

Why? Because House Republicans are committed to a patient-centered, health care system that gives power to American citizens, not to bureaucrats in Washington. Moreover, we are committed to preventing your dollars from reaching a scandal-plagued, abortion providing organization. Missourians do not want more government and they certainly do not want their government telling them what health plan they can or cannot have.

The legislation is on the president's desk where, instead of being able to turn a blind eye, he is forced to make a decision. Will the president decide to side with the interests of the American people or will he choose to advance his own partisan, political agenda?

U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., represents the state's 3rd District, which includes Jefferson City. His local office can be reached at 573-635-7232.

Web link:

luetkemeyer.house.gov