Representative Bradley Byrne of Alabama’s 1st Congressional District issued a statement today regarding the debate in the United States Senate to repeal and replace Obamacare. Needless to say, the Republican Congressman is not pleased with Bernie Sanders’ new suggestion:
“We have now seen the Democrat’s alternative to Obamacare: Senator Sander’s single payer healthcare bill. The American people overwhelmingly rejected increased government involvement in the last election, yet the Democrats have doubled down, putting forward a multi trillion dollar government takeover of our entire health care system.”
Continuing to point out the socialist Democrat’s flawed proposal, Byrne said:
“Senator Sanders’ bill would require massive new taxes on all Americans and move everyone on to a government healthcare plan. If you like your current plan, that’s too bad. This pie-in-the-sky idea is not only unrealistic, but would have devastating fiscal and practical effects on our citizens. That is not a legitimate option. Instead, the U.S. Senate needs to act before September 30th on health care legislation to limit the federal government’s role in health care and ensure real choices for consumers. I once again call on my colleagues in the Senate to join the House in passing a bill to rescue the American people from the failures of Obamacare. Time is running out, and action is desperately needed.”
In May, the House passed the American Health Care Act with the support of all of Alabama’s Republicans in the U.S. House. The bill repealed Obamacare and replaced it with a better version, but a small contingent of Republicans in the Senate led by John McCain sided with the Democrats causing the failure of the upper chamber’s version.
According to Rep Byrne’s media advisory, “The Senate parliamentarian has ruled that the fast-track plan to repeal Obamacare, known as reconciliation, will expire on September 30, 2017. Without this procedure in place, any effort to repeal and replace Obamacare would require 60 votes in the Senate, instead of a simple majority.”
