Dave Camp

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. I have no further speakers. I am prepared to close.

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. We have heard a lot of talk about how our Nation must pay its bills. But one major reason we are in this position is an unpaid for trillion- dollar stimulus bill that did not increase economic growth, did not create jobs, and simply added to our debt. I know there are some on the other side who want to keep on spending no matter what the impact is on our credit rating. While I believe that we must increase our debt limit, I am clearly not satisfied that there are no provisions that would help us address the long-term drivers of this debt. But I will say that it is disappointing the Democrats have walked away from the table. It is disappointing that we are not engaged in a more serious debate today, a debate about policy and how we reign in what really has become runaway debt. But as I have said, as disappointed as I am in that, I cannot in good conscience let the Democrats' refusal to engage lead to a default. I will vote ``yes'' on this legislation today. But it is hardly a solution to our looming debt crisis. That is why the Ways and Means Committee will continue to move forward on reforming Medicare and Social Security, as we have, with bipartisan proposals that are in legislative form, published for the public to view on our Web site. We will move forward on tax reform, one that will help grow our economy, create jobs, and help address our debt crisis by a stronger, more vibrant economy that will provide opportunities for individuals to get work, increase their wages, and provide for themselves and their families. I hope that Democrats will join me in these efforts. I believe it is only through a combination of those policies can we really get to the true solutions to this very significant problem facing our country. While this is a short-term solution to prevent what I think is essential that we do prevent, a default, it is not enough. As I have said, there is so much more to do. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7, the ``No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.'' This legislation codifies the longstanding, bipartisan Hyde amendment, which prevents taxpayer funds from being used for abortion-related costs. The legislation before us today imposes restrictions with respect to two ObamaCare-related tax benefits: the Exchange subsidies and the small business health insurance credit. These two provisions were included in a broader bill passed in the 112th Congress. The legislation is necessary because the Democrats' health care law included a massive expansion of the IRS's authority and funneled taxpayer funds for various costs and procedures, including abortions. This legislation will prevent the use of taxpayer funding for abortions--reflecting the spirit and the intent of the Hyde amendment. However, I want to be clear about what the legislation would not do. It would not affect either the ability of an individual to pay for an abortion (or for abortion coverage) through private funds, or the ability of an entity to provide separate abortion coverage. It would not apply to abortions in cases of rape, incest or life- threatening physical condition of the mother. It would not apply to treatment of injury, infection or other health problems resulting from an abortion. Simply put, this bill is about making sure taxpayer funds are not used to pay for abortions and does not affect the use of private funds. As such, this legislation takes the necessary steps to codify the Hyde amendment in the tax code so that it appropriately reflects changes that have occurred as a result of ObamaCare. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Frankenmuth Rotary Club in commemoration of the group's 75th anniversary. The Frankenmuth Rotary Club began operations on April 21, 1939, with a goal of gathering community leaders to provide humanitarian services to those in need--from the local to the international scale. Over the past 75 years, the members have continued to promote a high moral standard in the community while providing assistance with philanthropic projects. The club began as a small gathering of 35 charter members. Today, the club boasts over 125 members. Over the course of the club's presence in Frankenmuth, various projects helped change the landscape of the community. On multiple occasions, the club has collaborated with area foundations and businesses on building projects, maintenance funds, and renovations throughout the community. These endeavors have emphasized the club's passion for growth and goodwill in Frankenmuth. In addition to supporting local events and activities every year, the Frankenmuth Rotary Club has supported international service programs; each with a specific cause tailored to the project involved. The club has conducted philanthropic work in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, India, and South America. These projects have provided beneficial services such as clean drinking water pumps, school facility improvements, and dental work for those in need. Through these efforts to improve communities and lives both locally and abroad, the club has served as a model for humanitarian action. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Michigan, it is with great honor that I commemorate this 75th anniversary of the Frankenmuth Rotary Club. I offer my sincerest thanks for all that the organization has done and all that it will continue to do in the future.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3362, the Exchange Information Disclosure Act. There is widespread agreement that the ObamaCare rollout was a failure. Most of us believe the administration's lack of transparency and candor with Congress and the American people caused most of the problems. Since the beginning of the rollout, I have pressed the administration to release enrollment data to Congress. That data, including who is actually enrolling and what the mix of those who signed up looks like, are the kinds of hard facts we need before us to evaluate how this fundamental restructuring of our health care is really operating. Yet the administration did not provide that long-promised transparency. Instead, I was forced to subpoena the administration to get any information. While I received some of what I requested, it is not enough for Congress to understand the true impact of this law. It is clear that, more than halfway through the enrollment, the administration is failing to meet its own goal of 7 million enrollees by March 31. Last week, the administration released data that showed it has failed to meet an even more important goal--the right mix of young and healthy enrollees. The reality is that you need a good balance of young and healthy individuals in order to offset the more expensive costs of those who are older and less healthy. Without enough young and healthy enrollees, millions of Americans, including those who have had their plan canceled as a result of the President's broken promise, will see higher costs and fewer choices. With the little data we have, we can see this is actually what is happening. The American people deserve better than the administration's empty promises. They deserve to know what is really going on. Additionally, the administration has not provided any information on the number of people who have completed enrollment. We don't know how many people have paid their premium. Taxpayers don't know how many people are receiving tax credits. There is no harm to national security if the administration provides this information to Congress, the media, and the American people; but there may be harm to an individual's health security if their interests aren't protected. Frankly, I believe this administration cares more about implementing this law than protecting the health care of American families. The American people have every right to know this information and the future of their health care. Having this data will not change the President's broken promise that ``if you like your plan, you can keep it,'' or his promise that families will see a $2,500 reduction in their premiums. However, it will undoubtedly affect Americans' health care future. This is not just arbitrary data. This information will determine how much premiums will increase next year, whether access to care will become more limited, how many insurers may no longer offer coverage, and whether or not you can keep seeing your current doctor. This administration's failed rollout has given the American people little confidence that they can effectively oversee the overhaul of one-sixth of the economy. What possible reason, other than politics, could there be for the administration not releasing this information? This is data that Congress and the American people deserve to know and that the administration should readily and willingly provide. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill today, and I call on the Senate to take quick action to move this commonsense legislation forward. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CAMP. I thank the Chair for that admonition, and I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Young), the distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CAMP. I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, the reason this legislation is important is that, from what little information we do have, we know the administration is not meeting their stated goals, and they are not on track to meet 7 million people by March 31. We don't know the mix of people that have enrolled. We don't know how many of them are young and healthy. We don't know how many of them have paid a premium. The reason these things are important for us to know and to track is, this is a big deal. This is one-sixth of the American economy. There is probably no legislative area that affects people more than their health care. The reason we have to know this information is because if they aren't meeting their stated goals and their projections in terms of the cost of this bill, it could mean that people's premiums skyrocket next year. It could mean that the physician that they are used to seeing and being treated by, many times for an ongoing illness, may not be available to them under their insurance plan. So these are important issues. These are important benchmarks for us to know. It is important for the American people to know. It is important for the media to know. Because then, if we can understand what is really happening as we are in the middle of this, constructive changes could be made to this bill. What they want to do is keep us in the dark. They say vote ``no.'' Make sure we don't know what is going on, and then we will have a health care crisis even greater than the one we have now. So I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Midland County Probate and Family Court Judge Dorene Allen in recognition of her receiving the Daniel J. Wright Lifetime Achievement Award, presented on November 26, 2013. This honor is extended to those with the most distinguished careers in serving Michigan's children and families. Judge Allen's passion for improving the lives of children and strengthening families in my hometown of Midland and across the state of Michigan makes her more than deserving of this award. Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan, and a Juris Doctor from the Michigan State University Detroit College of Law, Judge Allen began helping children as a private practice attorney handling probate and family law cases. In 2001, Judge Allen was first elected to the Midland County Probate Court. Throughout her time on the bench, Judge Allen has focused her courtroom on successful outcomes for our community's youth, and worked to strengthen all families. Her outstanding efforts have resulted in the use of a multi-systemic therapy program, which has helped to significantly reduce the county's juvenile delinquency rate. Additionally, Judge Allen's involvement was instrumental in establishing Midland County's Baby Court, a ground-breaking collaborative effort to stop the neglect and abuse of infants and toddlers, while keeping families united. Judge Allen's service to children and families does not stop in the courtroom. Judge Allen serves on the Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice, a 15 member committee focused on implementing and improving effective juvenile justice policies and programs. She is also an active member of the Michigan Probate Judges Association, serving as the Chair of the Juvenile and Adoption Committee, and Juvenile Issues Committee. Judge Dorene Allen's many successes, continued dedication to public service, and ongoing commitment to the families of the State of Michigan distinguish her as a deserving recipient of the Daniel J. Wright Lifetime Achievement Award. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Michigan, I extend my congratulations to Judge Allen upon receiving this high honor, thank her for her contributions to our community and state, and wish her continued success in all her future endeavors.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, today I rise on behalf of the people I represent in Michigan's Fourth District who are feeling the real impact of ObamaCare. They are paying more for health care, losing the coverage they have and like, and having their work hours cut. I have been receiving calls, emails, and letters from people worried about the negative impacts ObamaCare is having on their lives. Jeff Frazier from Midland, Michigan, wrote: My wife has been recently informed by her insurance carrier that her health care policy ``does not comply with the Affordable Care Act.'' Now we must purchase a new policy to get the same coverage at an 18 percent increase in our premium. So, what happened to the ``if you like your insurance, you can keep it''? Unfortunately, Jeff's story isn't unique. He and an estimated 225,000 people in the State of Michigan and millions of Americans across the country are losing the coverage they have and like because of ObamaCare. I urge my colleagues to join me in standing up against higher health care costs, dropped coverage, and reduced work hours that are hurting the constituents I serve in Michigan and Americans all across the country.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman of the Human Resources Subcommittee for yielding and for his leadership on this very important issue. I rise in support of this legislation, which is designed to encourage the adoption of more children from foster care. I spent much of my career promoting adoption of children by loving parents because every child deserves a loving and safe home. As an attorney in private practice, I worked with parents and children in the foster care system. Those sorts of experiences provided much of the background for changes in landmark adoption legislation I and my colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee crafted in 1997 called the Adoption and Safe Families Act. That legislation streamlined the adoption process to help more children in foster care quickly move into permanent adoptive homes. It also for the first time offered incentives to States to safely increase the number of children adopted from foster care. It worked. In the decade following that legislation, the number of U.S. children adopted from foster care increased by 71 percent. In the years since, adoptions have continued to remain higher even as the foster care caseload started to decline. Overall, almost 300 children have been adopted as a result of the increases in adoptions since 1997. One study even estimated that the Federal Government saved $1 billion over 8 years by ensuring children were adopted instead of remaining in foster care. That is the successful incentive program this legislation extends and updates. We add a new award for States that increase adoptions of older children, who are the hardest to adopt and have the worst outcomes if they ``emancipate'' from foster care without a family to call their own. We also add a new award for increases in guardianship, when family members step up to care for their nieces and nephews, grandsons and granddaughters. And this bill ensures States maintain their commitment to post-adoption and related services so that children may truly have a family forever. I note that this legislation is fully paid for by a simple and real reform requiring States to reduce Federal income tax refunds when someone wrongly gets an overpayment for unemployment benefits. Those savings not only cover the cost of this legislation, but reduce the deficit by $24 million over the next 10 years. That is a win-win for children, for families, and for taxpayers alike. The bottom line is this: children in foster care deserve a place to call home, not just for a few months or years, but for good. We have already seen great progress in increasing adoptions since the Adoption Incentives program was created in 1997, and it is our hope that we can continue this progress with this bill. I thank my colleagues who joined me in introducing this legislation: Mr. Levin of Michigan, Mr. Reichert of Washington State, and Mr. Doggett of Texas. They are all leaders on this issue in the committee and this House, and I value their help in developing and advancing this legislation. I would also like to recognize the public comment we received in crafting this bill. A draft bill was posted on the Ways and Means Committee Web site in August, and the public was given a month to provide their thoughts on how to ensure more children are adopted. The bill we are considering today incorporates many of those suggestions, and we are grateful for the public's comments and their participation in this process. I encourage all of my colleagues to join us in supporting this bill in the House, and I hope the Senate will act as soon as they can so we can continue to move even more children from foster care into permanent, loving homes.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to former State Senator Robert D. Young in honor of his dedicated service to our country and the people of the State of Michigan in light of his recent passing. Senator Young's devotion to his community and this nation is something that is to truly be admired. Senator Young's career began in Spaulding Township where he built homes and managed a large farm. In 1974, Young won the election to the State Senate where he served for the next eight years. Upon leaving his successful career in State politics, Young took a position as the Executive Vice President of the Great Lakes Sugar Beet Growers Association. From this position, he advocated agricultural policies in Michigan, and Washington DC for thirteen years. Senator Young's career was dedicated to public service and the betterment of the state of Michigan. I stand here today to honor Senator Robert Young for his many accomplishments. On behalf of Michigan's Fourth Congressional District, I offer my appreciation for his years of service and extend my heartfelt condolences to his family upon their loss.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague Ranking Member Levin, to honor Jeff Hornbeck, Specialist in International Trade and Finance in the Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division of the Congressional Research Service (CRS). After a distinguished career of more than 32 years at the Library of Congress, 25 of which were at CRS serving Congress on international trade and economic policy issues, Jeff retired from government service on September 3. Jeff developed a remarkable record of accomplishment during his years on the Hill. His authoritative, non-partisan, and objective expertise and analysis, as exemplified in his many reports, memoranda, and confidential consultative work for Members and congressional staff, have addressed just about every major international trade and economic policy issue before Congress. His institutional knowledge of U.S. trade policy and the policy-making process has been invaluable, especially to the Ways and Means Committee and its Members. His expertise on Trade Promotion Authority, for example, is well-known and will be missed as Congress works on legislation to renew TPA. Jeff's deep institutional knowledge of U.S. trade policies and laws, the global trading system and architecture, a wide range of trade negotiations particularly with our trading partners in Central and South America, and the fundamental trends in the global economy have played a critical role in Congressional consideration of these issues. He has also provided intellectual leadership to the overall research agenda of the CRS Trade and Finance Section, ensuring that the CRS international trade and finance work was provided in an authoritative, objective, and bipartisan manner. We congratulate and thank Jeff for his years of excellent service to Congress. We wish him the very best in his retirement.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, today I rise with my colleague the Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee Sander Levin to recognize and thank Richard (``Rick'') Foster, the Chief Actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), for his service to the nation. Rick retired this year after nearly 40 years of public service, including the last 18 years as the chief actuary. Mr. Foster and his colleagues in the Office of the Actuary (OACT) have provided valuable guidance through the years to Members of Congress and their staffs on both sides of the aisle as we have worked to improve Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program. OACT's estimates are used to calculate key indices and other measures used throughout Medicare's payment systems. OACT also manages the widely used and often cited National Health Expenditure (NHE) account data and projections, which measure national health spending trends in both public programs and the private sector. Whether responding to technical or confidential requests or engaging in the annual tasks required by law and custom, Mr. Foster and his staff were responsive and thoughtful as they offered their best professional efforts. Mr. Foster began his career in the Federal government in 1973 at the Social Security Administration (SSA), working on the development of Medicare payment rates for health maintenance organizations when Medicare was managed through the SSA. He later served as Deputy Chief Actuary at SSA for 13 years before being selected as the CMS Chief Actuary in 1995. OACT's role is often behind-the-scenes, but critically important. Mr. Foster has been widely recognized for his tireless efforts to ensure that Congress and the Administration have access to high-quality, objective actuarial, economic, and statistical assistance, provided independently and on a nonpartisan basis and often with a dose of good humor. His adherence to the highest levels of professional independence and ethical conduct has been widely acclaimed and is deeply appreciated. In addition to his exceptional actuarial and other technical skills, Mr. Foster was an accomplished leader at CMS. He led OACT's implementation of team-based operations in 1995, based on the successful model developed by General Electric. He emphasized professional development for all staff, continuous improvement in all projects, a cordial, cooperative work environment and a multi- disciplinary approach to work. Under his guidance, the Office of the Actuary achieved the highest or second-highest results in the annual human capital survey every year since its inception. During his career, Mr. Foster has earned numerous prestigious awards, including the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Outstanding Alumnus of the Year in 1997, the Presidential Meritorious Executive Award in 1998 from President Clinton, the Presidential Distinguished Executive Award in 2001 from President Bush, the Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service in 2004, the College of Wooster Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006, the Robert J. Myers Public Service Award from the American Academy of Actuaries in 2006, and the Society of Actuaries President's Award in 2010. The readers of Modern Healthcare magazine voted him one of the 100 most influential persons in health care in the U.S. for the last six years. We are pleased to honor and commend Rick Foster for his distinguished career in public service and wish him all the best in retirement.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 322, I call up the bill (H.R. 2009) to prohibit the Secretary of the Treasury from enforcing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 2009.

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I come to the floor today in support of H.R. 2009, legislation that will prevent the IRS from getting involved in Americans' health care. The IRS is already out of control, abusing its power to tax and to audit the activities of honest, hardworking Americans. The IRS has betrayed the trust of the American people. Yet ObamaCare granted the IRS 47 new powers, including giving confidential taxpayer information to other departments and applying new taxes and penalties. Well before the IRS started getting involved in your health care and sharing your information and forcing people to pay even more taxes, let's first look at the job the IRS is already doing. Back in 2011, I investigated claims that the IRS was threatening with higher taxes donors to conservative causes. It turned out to be true. The IRS was abusing its authority, and it was harassing conservatives; but that was just the tip of the iceberg. We soon learned of more accusations about how the IRS was targeting Americans for their political beliefs. What we have found so far--and we just have 3 percent of the documents from the IRS that we have requested--is that the IRS did leak confidential taxpayer information, that they did delay applications of groups supporting conservative causes, and that they did threaten conservatives with higher taxes. And Democrats want to give this agency more power and authority? They want this agency involved in Americans' health care? No way. Even the agency's own watchdog says the IRS cannot handle the job. Less than 2 weeks ago, the independent Treasury Inspector General stated that they are not confident about the IRS's ability to protect confidential taxpayer information or to prevent fraud. Well, neither am I; and by every indication, neither are the American people. It has been 3 years since the health care law was passed, and in less than 2 months, the administration claims it will be fully ready to implement the law; but in the face of all of these failures, of all of these breaches of the public trust, more Americans than ever want this law to be repealed. Why? It's simple: ObamaCare has brought increased health care costs to families and individuals; it has stifled businesses from expanding; and it has forced American job creators to cut jobs, wages, and hours. Just yesterday, at a hearing in the Ways and Means Committee, a key official from Health and Human Services could not confirm that the health care law would lower the health care costs for hardworking families in my home State of Michigan. But wasn't this the signature promise of this administration, that premiums would be $2,500 lower? And now the administration cannot make good on that promise. With so little time before the exchanges are set to open and for families to plan their health care spending for next year, it is extremely concerning that the administration cannot tell the American people what their health insurance will look like or what it will cost. Simply put, this law is a failure and ought to be repealed, but it didn't have to be this way. The House Republican alternative to the Democrats' health care law, which I authored, was the only legislation scored by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office as meeting the top health priority of American families because it was the only bill that actually lowered the cost of health insurance premiums, and it didn't give the IRS a single new power. It kept the IRS out of your health care, which is exactly what this bill will do--keep the IRS off and out of your health care. We should be cutting the IRS, not expanding it. We should reduce its power and authority and its ability to harass and abuse Americans. That's exactly what this bill does. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CAMP. At this time, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia, Dr. Price, a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Price) control the remainder of my time.

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my point of order and seek time in opposition to the motion.

Mr. CAMP. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would just say there's nothing in this bill that prevents middle class families or individuals from receiving subsidies to which they're entitled. So I think it's just important to understand what the facts are. But what we want to do is keep the IRS out of control of your health care. Talk about unpopular items. Look, businesses have gotten a waiver from the mandate--1,300 organizations, businesses, unions have gotten waivers from this law. What about individuals? What about American families? If you want to keep the IRS out of control of your health care, vote ``no'' on this motion to recommit. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of the amendment offered by the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Scalise. This amendment would prevent the President and the EPA from bypassing Congress and imposing a devastating national energy tax that would affect every American. Struggling Americans who have been unable to find a job or have not seen their paychecks grow would pay this national energy tax every time they pay their utility bills or fill up their gas tanks or go to the grocery store. It would also be another tax on manufacturers and another increased cost of doing business under the Obama administration. House Republicans have been fighting to fix our broken tax code to make it simpler, fairer and flatter for American families and businesses. We cannot let the Obama Administration make an end run around the Congress' Constitutional responsibility for tax policy and use the regulatory process to impose a national energy tax that will cost trillions of dollars in economic growth and lost opportunities for hard-working Americans. I urge my colleagues to support the Scalise amendment--to ensure tax policy starts where the Constitution's Framers intended--here in the people's House.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 300, I call up the bill (H.R. 2667) to delay the application of the employer health insurance mandate, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 2667.

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2667, a bill that delays the employer mandate. While it's encouraging to see the administration has finally acknowledged the burdens ObamaCare is placing on employers, we must be a Nation of laws, not blog posts, which is how the administration announced the delay. While this bill provides employers with some temporary relief from the health care law, it provides no real relief. Even with this delay, small businesses and families will not get what they were promised-- affordable health care. Inexplicably, the administration thinks only businesses should be exempt from the pain inflicted by ObamaCare. How is that fair? Families and individuals are already struggling in this Obama economy. They're paying more for gas, more for food, and wages aren't keeping up with the ever-increasing costs of everyday life. Don't these hardworking Americans deserve the same relief the administration is giving to the business community? That's why we must also pass the Fairness for American Families Act, which will delay the individual mandate. House Republicans believe it's only fair that families and individuals receive the same treatment. These two bills will ensure that fairness is applied to employers and employees, as well as families and individuals. The Obama administration claims that they are listening to the American people. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid recently said ``ObamaCare has been wonderful.'' These claims reveal a Democratic leadership that is out of touch with reality. When I go back to my district, I hear firsthand from constituents about the concerns with the law. They ask me: Why are my premiums skyrocketing? How can I grow my business with all these new mandates, regulations, and red tape? Why am I losing the insurance I have and like? House Republicans share those concerns, and these bills are a positive step forward to protect hardworking taxpayers and businesses from some of the most onerous provisions in the health care law. The administration's ``time out'' from the law doesn't change the fact that ObamaCare is unworkable. Instead, it's an admission that this law is unworkable. Just a few months ago, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius pledged before the Ways and Means Committee that this law would be ready on time and without delays. Well, now we know the truth. This administration cannot make its own law work. The American people deserve real reforms that actually make health care affordable. During the health care debate, only one bill was scored by the Congressional Budget Office as actually lowering premiums--the House Republican alternative to the Democrats' health care law. It met the top health care priority of American families-- lowering the cost of health insurance premiums. We should scrap this law and get back to commonsense, step-by-step reforms on health care. I urge my colleagues across the aisle to join us and support this legislation. Vote to treat American families and individuals the same as businesses. Vote ``yes'' to codify the delay of the employer mandate, and vote ``yes'' to delay the individual mandate. At this time, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady) control the remainder of the time.