On the recordFebruary 2, 2011
I rise today in strong support of the McConnell amendment No. 13 that would completely repeal President Obama's, in my view, unconstitutional health care bill. Of course, I was an active participant in the debate last Congress about ObamaCare and fought that tooth and nail. The day after it passed into law, I introduced a freestanding measure to repeal it completely. The first day of this new Congress that I could file bills, I reintroduced that measure. Of course, for all those reasons, I certainly support this amendment that accomplishes that important goal. Let me begin by responding to the suggestions of my distinguished colleague from Vermont. Everybody who wants to repeal this law, including me--we do not want to do away with the idea that you should not be shoved off insurance because of preexisting conditions, that you should not have portability, you should not be able to meet those obligations. We do not think that at all. We are, however, for complete repeal for a very simple reason. What is wrong with this bill, what is wrong with ObamaCare is not one detail here and one comma there, it is not at the periphery of the plan; it is at the heart of the plan, it is the essentials, it is the core of the plan.
