U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is finding his efforts against President Barack Obamas federal health-care law are gathering more steam now that the GOP has control of the U.S. Senate.
Rubio, a potential candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, unveiled a bill looking to ensure the law wont be used to bail out insurance companies.
The Obamacare Taxpayer Bailout Prevention Act," as Rubio has dubbed his bill, would repeal risk coordinators included in Obamas health-care law and ensure Congress would be included if the federal government wants to cover insurance companies losses due to the law.
One of the biggest threats to the American dream is the rising cost of living, which Obamacare is making worse through rising health care costs and loss of coverage, said Rubio on Thursday. Taxpayers should not have to fund massive bailouts to protect the profits of the insurance companies that helped write Obamacare, which is why Ive been fighting for over a year to protect taxpayers from yet another bailout that puts them on the hook for Washingtons mistakes.
Under Decembers omnibus spending bill, taxpayers are protected from bailing out insurance companies until Sept. 30, but now Congress has the opportunity to take the possibility of a bailout off the table for good, Rubio continued. By passing this bill, Congress will ensure that no bailout will occur, in 2016 or ever.
Rubio has rounded up some Republican co-sponsors including U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a likely primary rival if the senator from Florida makes a presidential bid. Other co-sponsors include Republican U.S. Sens. Jeff Flake and John McCain of Arizona, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Mike Lee of Utah, Pat Roberts of Kansas, Mike Rounds of South Dakota and David Vitter of Louisiana.
U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., an anesthesiologist, offered the House companion to Rubios bill.
The American people should not have to shoulder the burden of the presidents failed health-care plan and bail out insurance companies, while millions across the country have lost their coverage and seen increased health-care costs, Harris said on Thursday. President Obama continues to sit back and force taxpayers to foot the bill for a law that is crippling the economy, killing jobs, and weakening health care in the United States.
Harris zoned in on Section 1342 of Obamas law which covers risk corridors.
Section 1342 is just another example of presidential overreach and the presidents complete disregard for the Constitution, Harris insisted. Its repeal will protect taxpayers from future costs brought on by his disastrous law.
Conservative groups, including the American Conservative Union, Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, the Club for Growth, Freedom Works, Heritage Action, the National Taxpayers Union and the Tea Party Express, are supporting Rubios bill.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
