| Health Care
Repealing and Replacing Obamacare
I’ve been upfront about my opposition to Obamacare since Day 1. As a Constitutional conservative, I believe Washington should NOT dictate what kind of health care plans you should have, let alone FORCE you to buy something you may not need or want.
When Democrats rammed Obamacare into law, Republicans warned folks that the bad law wouldn't work...and we're witnessing that right now. Insurers are fleeing the Obamacare exchanges, premiums continue to soar, and millions of folks have chosen to forgo buying Obamacare-mandated insurance. This is why, in February, Aetna’s CEO warned that Obamacare is in a death spiral.
Now that Republicans control the House, Senate, and White House, we have the opportunity to finally repeal this bad law. What’s more, we have a responsibility to get it done right. As you likely know, Speaker Ryan’s plan (the American Health Care Act) ultimately never it made it to the House Floor. Many of you called or wrote my office expressing your concerns with this flawed bill, and I thank you for being engaged on this important issue. I’m also pleased our House Leadership listened to Americans’ concerns and pulled the vote. It was the right thing to do.
However, we MUST still act to repeal Obamacare and replace it with common-sense solutions - especially those that help to drive down costs. As House Leadership works with rank-and-file members to draft a better repeal and replace bill, rest assured that I will continue to listen to you and make sure your voice is heard.
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| Thank you to the Military Officers Association of America (left) for meeting with me on April 5th to discuss issues important to the 3rd District and our Great Nation. |
Expanding Access & Lowering Health Care Costs for Small Businesses
Due to Obamacare’s burdensome and expensive regulations, fewer and fewer American small businesses can afford to offer health care coverage – which in turn hurts American families. To address this problem, on February 16th I reintroduced the Small Business Health Fairness Act (H.R. 1101). This bill is a commonsense solution that would empower small businesses by allowing them to join together through association health plans (AHPs) when shopping for health care plans. Essentially, this bill would allow them to have the same strength in numbers as large businesses and labor organizations. And the benefits will be real for hardworking Americans. This bill passed the House on March 22nd. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
To read my op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, CLICK HERE.
To watch me on the House Floor discussing this bill, CLICK HERE.
Repealing Obamacare’s Expansion Ban on Physician-Owned Hospitals
I’m sure all Americans can agree that everyone deserves access to quality, affordable health care. And I’m sure we also agree that competition in the marketplace is a good thing. Unfortunately, Obamacare has been picking winners and losers when it comes to health care – and American families are paying the price due to this lack of competition. You see, Obamacare placed a ban on new construction of physician-owned hospitals and has made it nearly impossible for established physician-owned hospitals to expand. Physician-owned hospitals are small in number, so there is plenty of room in the health care market. It makes no sense to prohibit good hospitals from serving their communities. That is why I reintroduced the Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017 (H.R. 1156) on February 16th. Americans want, need, and deserve quality, affordable health care options. To learn more about this commonsense bill, CLICK HERE.
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| ICYMI, at the end of February President Trump signed into law H.J.Res 40, my legislation that protects Social Security beneficiaries who need help managing their benefits from having their Constitutional rights violated by an Obama Administration regulation. This bill is supported by a wide and bipartisan range of groups including the NRA and the ACLU. To read the statements of support on this law, CLICK HERE. |
Saving Taxpayers’ Dollars
No Bonuses for Tax Delinquent IRS Employees
As a senior member of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, on March 17th I reintroduced the No Bonuses for Tax Delinquent IRS Employees Act (H.R. 1599). The two-page bill does just as it sounds – it would prohibit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from handing out bonuses to IRS employees who owe back taxes. The fact that the IRS has given out bonuses and other rewards to its employees who owe back taxes is disgraceful. The people who are hired to enforce our tax laws should not be delinquent on their own taxes, let along be rewarded bonuses. Even worse, these bonuses are paid for by tax dollars. What has been going on is a slap in the face to law-abiding, tax-paying citizens, and I’m working to end this NOW. The No Bonuses for Tax Delinquent IRS Employees Act is a commonsense bill – and it’s the right thing to do. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
Cutting Wasteful Spending at the EPA
As a fiscal conservative, I believe Washington should be a good steward of taxpayers’ dollars. Part of being a good steward includes reining in unnecessary spending and holding agencies accountable for waste. For example, American taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay for the EPA’s many vacant and underutilized properties that the EPA’s own Inspector General identified as wasteful. That is why on February 7th I reintroduced the Wasteful EPA Programs Elimination Act. This bill would terminate or eliminate federal funding for 13 wasteful Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs, would close all EPA field offices, and require the EPA to lease or sell all underutilized properties. The Heritage Foundation estimates this bill would save taxpayers more than $7.5 billion over 10 years. To learn more about this bill, CLICK HERE.
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| Thank you to the folks with the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program for meeting to discuss issues at our Texas border and how we can work to keep our community safe! |
Efforts on Behalf of Our Servicemembers and Veterans
Fair Retirement Savings Treatment for Guard, Reserve Forces
Ensuring our troops and veterans receive fair treatment is a top priority of mine, particularly as a 29-year Air Force veteran and POW for nearly seven years. Unfortunately, the IRS is able to limit the ability of many of America’s Guard and Reserve forces to save for their retirement if they also hold a civilian job. In effect, these service members and their families are being penalized when it comes to saving for their retirement just because they happen to serve our country. This is wrong. The men and women who defend freedom deserve better. That’s why I reintroduced, along with Senator John Cornyn, the Servicemember Retirement Improvement Act (H.R. 1317) on March 2nd. I’m pleased that my bill is supported by a wide range of military and veteran advocacy groups, including the Reserve Officers Association (ROA), the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), and the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). To learn more about this bill and its support, CLICK HERE.
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| Thank you to Major General Brian Alvin for meeting with me to discuss issues facing Army Reservists in the 3rd District. God bless you, sir, and I salute you for your service. |
Calling for Intensified Efforts to Account for 83,000 MIAs
While I was blessed to make it home to Freedom after nearly seven years as a Prisoner of War in the infamous Hanoi Hilton, many of my fellow compatriots did not. Our American Armed Forces swear to leave no man behind, and I have vowed to never stop fighting for our Defenders of Freedom. That is why on February 15th I reintroduced a resolution (H.Res. 129) calling for intensified efforts to investigate, recover, and identify all missing and unaccounted-for personnel of the United States. Specifically, H.Res. 129 calls on the United States government to intensify efforts to account for the 83,000 American service members who are still unaccounted-for around the world. The resolution also calls on foreign governments to fully assist in search and recovery efforts. My commitment to this country and those who fight for it will never end. Thank you to all the brave men and women in our Armed Forces, past and present, for your service and sacrifice to the greatest nation in the world – the United States of America. God bless you and I salute you.
Protecting You from Identity Theft
Social Security has made no bones about how important it is for Americans to safeguard their Social Security numbers. Beneficiaries are warned time and again to protect their cards in order to avoid identity theft. But commonsense safety measures should also be taken by Social Security. Unfortunately, the Inspector General’s recent report found that this agency is including folks’ Social Security numbers on many of the routine documents it mails, even when it's not necessary. That means any lost or stolen letter from Social Security endangers the security of a beneficiary’s identity. As Chairman of the Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee, I’m working to stop this. That is why I reintroduced the Social Security MAIL Act on March 15th, which would require the agency to remove Social Security numbers from its mailed documents unless it's absolutely necessary. This is a commonsense solution to a problem that shouldn’t exist, and I will continue to work hard and see that this is signed into law.
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| It was great visiting with Jeff Rinard and David Slayton before the joint Social Security and Oversight Subcommittee hearing on Social Security's Representative Payee Program on March 22nd. I thank them both for their work at the Texas Office of Court Administration, and I also thank Dr. Slayton (left image, far right) for providing witness testimony at the hearing. To learn more, CLICK HERE. |
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