Congressman Mike Turner submitted the following statement for the Congressional Record upon joining the House in voting to approve H.R. 6079, the Repeal of Obamacare Act. The bill fully repeals Obamacare and its billions in new taxes upon Americans and American businesses:
Mr. Chairman, the flawed Obamacare law adversely affects American families, small businesses and millions of seniors. Even before the law is fully implemented, Obamacare already increases costs on hard-working American families and businesses. For example, healthcare premiums have already increased by $1,200 for the average American family.
Two weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the individual mandate of the President’s healthcare law is a tax. This tax will have tremendous consequences on individuals, working families, businesses, and local governments. In fact, the most recent Congressional Budget Office estimate indicates that the individual mandate will impose $54 billion in new taxes on Americans over 10 years.
We have heard from many businesses across the country that the employer mandate will be devastating for them and their employees. For example, the employer mandate to provide healthcare coverage will penalize American firms by $113 billion over 10 years and could eliminate 1.6 million jobs. At a time when the economy is still struggling to recover, we should be focused on reducing taxes on hardworking Americans and providing incentives for businesses to grow and create jobs.
That is why last week I authored H.R. 6048, the Healthcare Tax Relief and Mandate Repeal Act, with 125 of my colleagues, to repeal the Obamacare individual and employer mandates, providing relief for American families and businesses.
Mr. Chairman, I am also troubled by the Obamacare 2.3 percent tax on medical devices. Mound Laser and Photonics Center, headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio in my district, specializes in laser-based micro and nano-fabrication. The majority of its workers have backgrounds in science and engineering, critical fields our country needs to compete in the global economy. Unfortunately, the company reported it was forced to lay off 10 employees due to the loss of business from one of its medical device clients.
Another company in my community, Ferno-Washington Inc., a global leader in manufacturing and distribution of professional emergency and healthcare products based in Wilmington, Ohio, says the tax increase will cause the company to scale back research, development, and production of new products, hampering the company’s ability to compete. The executives at Ferno estimate the cost of the tax is equivalent to 23 jobs.
This Congress, I authored H.R. 1310, a bill to repeal this tax for first responder medical devices and co-sponsored a bill to eliminate this unfair tax altogether.
Mr. Chairman, now is not the time to impose extra burdens on American families and businesses when our economy is struggling to get back on track. I strongly support repeal of Obamacare and am committed to working with my colleagues to carefully and thoughtfully implement real healthcare reform.
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