Democrats Refuse to Fix Job-Destroying, Budget-Busting Healthcare Takeover

January 20, 2011

FYI, a version of this release went out to the following districts: Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Dennis Cardoza (CA-18), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Costa (CA-20), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Joe Donnelly (IN-02), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Martin Heinrich (NM-01), Jim Himes (CT-04), Maurice Hinchey (NY-22), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Dale Kildee (MI-05), Ron Kind (WI-03), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David Loebsack (IA-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Jerry McNerney (CA-11), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Brad Miller (NC-13), Chris Murphy (CT-05), Bill Owens (NY-23), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Gary Peters (MI-09), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), Adam Smith (WA-09), Betty Sutton (OH-13), Niki Tsongas (MA-05), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Tim Walz (MN-01), David Wu (OR-01), John Yarmuth (KY-03)

Bruce Braley Refuses to Fix Job-Destroying, Budget-Busting Healthcare Takeover
Iowa Democrat Toes Party Line, Continues to Support Unpopular Healthcare Law

Washington—Yesterday, when the House passed a repeal that serves as a stepping stone to replacing the job-destroying healthcare reform Democrats pushed through Congress last March, it was no surprise that Bruce Braley threw away a chance to vote with the best interests of his constituents. Today, Braley had another chance to vote for a measure that would create a better healthcare solution that will do what ObamaCare won’t—create jobs, protect middle-class families and stop tax hikes. Unfortunately, Braley once again proved that he puts party loyalty ahead of Iowans’ interests and voted against beginning the process of replacing the detrimental healthcare takeover.

“Bruce Braley remains tone deaf to the millions of Americans who want the job-destroying healthcare law replaced with a better solution that does not hinder job growth,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Americans have made it clear countless times that they’re strictly opposed to the tax burdens and heavy government mandates that the supposed ‘reform’ dictates. By voting against fixing the detrimental healthcare takeover today, Braley proved that he doesn’t want to be a part of progress, he just wants to hinder it.”

Republicans voted today to move forward in replacing the job-destroying healthcare takeover with a bill that will not increase the deficit or stifle economic growth. Unlike the Democrats’ attempt last Spring, it will instead be focused on job creation, something ObamaCare has proven it won’t do, and stop the steep tax hikes that will burden middle class families and small businesses. Braley today voted against a number of improvements that Americans want and our economy needs in order to prosper again. Some of those improvements include:

• fostering economic growth and private sector job creation by eliminating job-killing policies and regulations;
• lowering healthcare premiums through increased competition and choice;
• preserving a patient’s ability to keep his or her health plan if he or she likes it;
• providing people with pre-existing conditions access to affordable health coverage;
• reforming the medical liability system to reduce unnecessary and wasteful health care spending;
• increasing the number of insured Americans;
• protecting the doctor-patient relationship;
• providing the States greater flexibility to administer Medicaid programs;
• expanding incentives to encourage personal responsibility for healthcare coverage and costs;
• prohibiting taxpayer funding of abortions and provide conscience protections for health care providers;
• eliminating duplicative government programs and wasteful spending; and,
• not accelerating the insolvency of entitlement programs or increase the tax burden on Americans.

Bruce Braley decided not to listen to Americans with yesterday’s vote. He continued his indignant attitude by rejecting today’s resolution to begin replacing the hotly-contested ObamaCare. For someone who was elected to serve the people of his district, it seems more as if Bruce Braley believes he was elected to serve the Democratic Party.
###