Rep. Schilling Casts Vote to Repeal Healthcare Bill

Congressman Schilling fulfilled another campaign promise today by voting to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. Obamacare would increase the deficit by $700 billion.  While the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Republican plan reduces spending by $540 billion over ten years and reduces taxes by $770 billion over ten years.

Schilling said he believes healthcare reform is needed, but the bill passed last spring was a step in the wrong direction.

“I promised my constituents I would vote to repeal this bill during the campaign, and I’m happy to follow through on that promise today,” Schilling said. “The healthcare bill passed last spring did nothing to fix the issue of skyrocketing healthcare costs, and it added billions of dollars in burdensome tax increases that will cost our nation millions of jobs. It also harms seniors by cutting half a trillion dollars from Medicare, which I find completely unacceptable. We need to get this job-erasing piece of legislation off the books as soon as possible, and then work to pass real, bipartisan reform that will work for all Americans.”

Schilling said repeal is only the first step, passing real bi-partisan reform is his next task.

“There are several common sense concepts that form the foundation of good healthcare reform.  Regardless of any pre-existing conditions or prior illnesses, all Americans deserve to have access to affordable care without any controlling government mandates. Additionally young adults under the age of 25 should be able to remain on their parents’ healthcare policies.”  Schilling went on to say, “The Republican alternative put forth in the 111th Congress included those two provisions, and we will continue to support them as we work on a common-sense healthcare policy that lowers costs for families and small businesses and broadens access to affordable care. I am looking forward to making good on the pledge I made to residents of the 17th district of Illinois in voting to repeal Obamacare.”

Schilling said the current healthcare law is stifling America’s economic recovery.

“Our job creators need certainty to foster job growth, not more taxes and penalties that only serve as a disincentive to hiring,” Schilling said.  “Repealing this bill will finally give small businesses the clear signals needed to promote expansion, innovation, and more job creation.”

Schilling said he was frustrated by the lack of transparency displayed in Congress last year.

“People have a right to know what’s going on in Washington,” Schilling said. “I don’t think the secret deals and closed door meetings we saw last year serve the public. It's time for Congress to act in the interest of the American people by repealing this flawed, one-sided law and focusing on true health care reform.”