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Working to repeal, replace, and defund the health care law
Posted by Randy | April 12, 2011
As the nation recently marked the one year anniversary of the passage of the controversial health care law, I hear from many Americans about the cost of the legislation, not just to our nation but to their own pocketbooks.

Some Americans like Buddy Zaremba, a print shop owner from Manchester, New Hampshire, are now paying premiums 37% higher than they were in 2010.  In fact, 200 prominent economists agree that the current health care law has done little to lower premiums and is threatening business and placing a crushing debt on future Americans.

Earlier this year,  I joined 245 of my colleagues in voting to repeal and replace the job-killing health care bill signed into law by the President last year.  After the Senate refused to join the House in rolling back the health care law, I began working with my colleagues to take steps to curtail massive spending aimed at implementing the controversial health care law. Here are some of the actions I’ve taken in the past several weeks:

Introduced the Prevent IRS Overreach Act of 2011.
This bill would prohibit a massive expansion of the IRS that would be necessary to enforce the health care law.  The bill would prevent the IRS from hiring or designating any personnel to force millions of American families and small businesses to comply with onerous healthcare regulations, including the unconstitutional mandate to purchase the health insurance.  Some estimates predicted that as many as 16,000 new IRS agents would be needed to enforce the law—this bill would put a stop to that all together.

Kept taxpayer funds from being used to implement the health care law.
I voted to prohibit the use of taxpayer funds to pay any government worker to implement the provisions of the health care law.  If the President and Senate won’t agree to repeal the law, then the House must lead the way in defunding it because I believe that this law is not only flawed, but more importantly, it is fundamentally unconstitutional.

Called for expedited resolution to lawsuits challenging the health care law.
I introduced a House Resolution and a bill calling for an expedited resolution to lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the health care law in order to provide certainty for employers, individuals, healthcare providers, and state and local governments.

Backed Virginia’s legal challenge to the health care law.
I joined 48 colleagues in signing an amicus brief backing Virginia’s legal challenge to the health care law.  U.S. District Court Judge Henry E. Hudson in Richmond ruled in favor of Virginia in December concluding the individual mandate provision in the health care law "exceeds the constitutional boundaries of congressional power." Now, the case is before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and I am urging the federal appeals court to declare the entire health care law - including the individual mandate - unconstitutional.

What do you think of these actions I’ve taken on the new health care law? Are you being directly impacted by the health care law? How?
Comments
Users are solely responsible for the opinions they post here and their comments do not necessarily reflect the views of Congressman Forbes.
  • Kimberly Fritz commented on 4/12/2011
    I understand the issues with the finanical burdens of the new healthcare bill you are motivated to appeal. While I have health insurance, I still worry about the millions of Americans who do not have health insurance. What do we do? How can we keep insurance premiums low not only for the currently insured but also for Americans who cannot afford premiums at all? I'd like to know your thoughts on making healthcare accessible to all Americans.
  • Thomas Griswold commented on 4/13/2011
    It is so disheartening to listen to our lawmakers refer to what they claim is 'job killing' legislation when it clearly is not. When you consider that the health care advances will finally prevent the insurance companies from widespread activity to deny coverages the term is sadly misused. I recall reservations about using that term immediately after the Tuscon tragedy...but here we are once again resorting to heavy handed ugliness for political advantage. What do the American people have to do to get this sort of thing stopped? I would hope the congressman would rethink some of the language used to give us all a sense that that lawmakers can indeed rise about this foolishness. The CBO has already weighed in on the long term budget savings of the health care bill. The independent CBO. So the truth is that such advocacy really isn't a job killing bill...it is yet another attempt to push the nation into the red another 100 billion. Add that to the disasterous Bush tax cuts and it is clear what creates the economic challenges we face today. A recent poll indicated that 81 percent of Americans feel it acceptable to raise taxes on millionaires and billionaires. EIGHTY ONE PERCENT.... We shall see if our congressman listens to his constituents.
  • David Stapp commented on 4/15/2011
    Congressman Forbes, Thank for your efforts to repeal a law that has no place at the federal level if anywhere. While I am concerned for citizens who do not have health care, it is not the fed. Gov't's job to mandate or pay for such coverage. All the people who are concerned about there neighbors without healthcare should find a way to donate at there local level if they are worried. Coercion via taxation will not solve this problem.
  • Mary Copeland commented on 4/19/2011
    Most of the people on your blog are in favor of President Obama's Health Care Reform three to one. Clearly you do not listen to the people. You and your fellow republicans need to be recalled and replaced with working Americans who know the hardship of working forty plus hours a week and have to decide whether to buy insurance or pay the high electric and outrageous water bills. You need to work to lower those costs and help people and stop trying to block the President from helping people.
  • Robert Oliver commented on 5/2/2011
    Dear Congressman, Please support the President's Health Care plan. Please do not sell out the poor and the middle class. Look at your district! The majority of your constituents need this Heath Care plan. Furthermore, no more tax breaks for Oil Companies or Banks. Do not overtax the poor and middle class. People making over 250,000 should be paying more taxes... as well as the top 2% of the USA. Many in the Republican Party have lost their way and are on the payroll of the oil companies, the Kock Brothers.... other Republican controlled states are disenfranching public workers and the poor to move wealth to the upper 2%. Please do the right thing. Things are becoming more desperate. Thanks for your time! Thanks for your kind, supportive words, too, praising the death of OBL under President Obama's leadership.
  • Barbara Wells commented on 12/28/2011
    Since apparently not enough of us are speaking up, let me add my voice to support of your actions against this bill. NOT all of your constituents want this. My husband and I are both employed full time in professional jobs and we are facing health care insurance crises of our own in 2012 unlike anything we've ever dealt with. Many other families I know are in similar situations... Outrageous premiums, skyrocketing out of pocket expenses, through the roof deductibles, penalties for carrying me as a spouse.... And so on. If anyone seriously thinks adding bureaucracy to the insurance companies will fix the problem, you are sadly mistaken. Show me ONE other area in which the government has added regulation that has actually created improvement. Get your heads out of the sand.
  • Nolan Sue commented on 1/19/2012
    Thank you for opposing this bill and the man who said it would not cost the taxpayers one dime more--the same man, by the way, who said the U.S. needed to buy more oil from its close neighbors, then turned around and vetoed the bill that would allow it, which also took in its wake thousands of needed jobs. (Just in case the environmentalists don't know it, much of that area where the pipeline would have gone, already has hundreds of miles of pipelines.) So now the Canadians can sell the oil to China, so we can buy it back at a higher rate, with money borrowed from THEM. That makes about as much sense as what he did with Healthcare. The only jobs Obama care is providing are federal ones, which are the very jobs that need trimming. If Obama REALLY wants to do something for healthcare, then let him fix the sick economy.
  • Grace Bascetta commented on 1/29/2012
    Good luck with the 414 plan. I am the President of a construction firm in Williamsburg, A'more Commercial Enterprises,LLC We have been in business since 2009. We are still bidding on government projects, but because of all the red tape and delays in getting paid we are focusing more on working in the private sector. Sometimes government regulations make it difficult to compete. The wage determination rates and classification of trades under The Davis Bacon Act are outdated. A recent contract I was awarded requires I pay $18.50 for wages including fringes. Most of my carpenters are payed $20.00 an hour.
  • Jeffrey "Scott" ` Decker commented on 2/16/2012
    What we need IS NOT a repeal of the Healtcare Law but revisions. Health Care is crippling our country financially and thats a fact!! What is needed is the following 1. Health Insurance reform or Regulation. It is a huge conflict of interest for a publically traded company to be providing Health Insurance and requiring approval on procedures by Doctors for their patients. Roll them back to non - profit - our Healthcare system was much better then and cheaper. One aspect of the current law requires Health Insurance companies to spend 85% of their revenue on Health Care - and this is at least step in the right direction. 2. I find it insane that when I travel to Canada that my out of pocket expense for my medicine is less at the retail price in Canada with a prescription then it is with Insurance and my Co-Pay here in the US. We need price controls on prescription drugs period! 3. You need a public option for Health Care - you already have medicare and medicaid. Expand those programs if you have to. Why are we the only developed nation that DOES NOT provide healthcare to their citizens?? Because we are fiscally irresponsible and the world knows it! CEO Angela Braly of WellPoint Inc 2011 compensation 13 million CEO Stephen Hemsley United Healthcare 2011 compensation 10.8 million CEO Mark Bertolini AETNA 2011 compensation 8 million CEO Michael McCallister HUMANA 2011 compensation 6 million And these are just 4 PEOPLE this does not begin to touch the executive staff of these organizations or the other Health Insurance companies. We need a wake up call..37 million plus to pay 4 PEOPLE in Health Insurance companies?????? really?
  • Deborah K commented on 3/1/2012
    Your actions are nothing to be proud of. You do not represent your constituents by turning your back on what amounts to Medicare For All. Yet you enjoy free health care on OUR dime. It is not controversial, nor is your support of Cucinelli's opposition laudable. Aren't you sick of fundraisers so someone with a disease can get medical treatment? Listen to your constituents and support the health care law.
  • Steve Johnson commented on 3/15/2012
    Dear Congressman Forbes, Something surely needs to take place. Since deregulation in Virginia, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield it is difficult to keep up with their price increases. I am 40 years old and do not know were I will get the $1700 dollars a month to pay them when I am 55. Deregulation was sold to the american people as a way to spur competition and lower prices. This has yet to happen with all the industries that were deregulated. They are just like the banks, left unchecked greed runs wild. And just like the banks the insurance companies will gather to take more and more. But how can you fix the insurance industry when you first need to fix hospital billing. Hospitals have no truth in lending or truth in charging. Hospitals have become extremley profitable busnissess, they are using loopholes in billing to pay no tax. I do not support Federally run anything becuase their is always to much abuse. But I do not support your fight against it either. In one blog you talk about not increasing tax on corporations to create jobs, what good are these jobs if you can not live on the pay and benefits they offer. I think corporations provide health insurance should get a tax break, I think corporations and businessess that do not offer good benefits but have I high net yeild should be taxed very heavy. Do not reward greed. We need something done on health care and I am about to the point that I rather see something done even if it is wrong rather than no action or correction at all. So please be part of a solution. I would like to have the same health care benefits and retirement plan that we provide for you and the President.
  • William Chase commented on 3/21/2012
    Obama care is our worst nightmare. It is partof the plan to bring this country down. It must be repealed. then we need REAL healthcare reform, not this garbage. Rep. Forbes, Keep at it till it is gone.
  • Marian Neefus commented on 11/2/2012
    Thank you, Mr. Forbes, for your work in replacing and defunding the present health care bill. I hope sincere lawmakers of both parties find better ways to assist those who have trouble getting the care they need. I believe state, local and religious and nonprofit group sources serve us better. I don't like so much control of our lives by the federal government. It's the wrong direction. Thank you for your courage and intelligence as you help keep us free and aware of what's happening. May we have a bill that we read before it is voted upon.
  • Bessie Brown commented on 11/8/2012
    Mr. Forbes, I hope that you and the rest of your republican counterparts take a good look at your party. Your are a republican but you represent your entire district not just the old, white, males that make up your party. The demographics of this country has changed and you cannot benefit anyone if you are not willing to consider everyone. I know that for some it is a hard and bitter pill to swallow that a black man is the POTUS. Get over yourselves and work with him. There are a lot of things (deregulation, tax breaks for the wealthy, 2 wars) that his predecessor allowed to happen but there was no outcry until people started screaming recession and bailout. There was no republican or democratic outcry when bank were lending to folks (mostly minorities) that really couldn't afford houses until the housing market crashed. There was no republican outcry when they accused the president of not being an American Citizen how did he become a senator. No one really thought in a million years that a black male could become president so you really didn't act fast enough to prevent it. Your party was not even able to fulfill their promise to make him a one term President. Get off your do nothing stool and revise the Affordable Health Care Act if you don't like what's in it. I don't agree with everything that the POTUS does but I will make my voice heard and let him know it and offer some compromises. I am retired from the military so Alabama is my home and right now Virginia looks a lot better than it does. There are people that do want handouts but Health Care should not be a handout. There are people that work everyday and still can't afford basic Health Care even before the AHCA. You may have been re-elected but there were just as many people that do not approve of your performance that do. I know that you are big on the military and you do a lot for Ft. Lee but you do have other constituents that are not affiliated with the military. Lastly, what do I need to do to get some tickets to the Inaguration this year. I am really lliking forward to it. Thanks,
  • David Clark commented on 11/15/2012
    Reguarding the previous post, it is time to retire the race card. Contrary to the retoric of the left, Our President is finding opposition do to his policies not the color of his skin. Mr. Forbes has represented the majority of his constituents that share his values and beliefs. We are a divided country. We have allowed ourselves to be driven apart by race, gender, religion, income, and anything else that separates us as individuals. However, there is also common ground between us. This is where we need to start. Do we agree on the Constitution and the founding principles of this country? If we do, then these principles should not be compromised. If we don't agree, then we need to have honest debate over what to change. We need to look at the big picture here. What do we want the role of government in our lives to be?
  • Brenda Collins commented on 11/21/2012
    I am in total support of your efforts to do away with NObamacare. There are many free clinics to sponsor people that cannot afford healthcare insurance. There are state agencies via Social Services that people can get if they are truly in need. We already pay too many taxes and cannot afford the extra load. Virginia had a surplus in the budget and can use that money to help. NO TO NObamacare!
  • David Duncan commented on 11/30/2012
    Congressman Forbes, by futilly trying to repeal the Affordable Healthcare Act you are potentially allowing Insurance companies to write the rules that will financially hurt the American population with uncontrolled yearly premium increases, preexisting clauses in effect for everyone, repealing preventive services that is able to reduce healthcare costs for Americans, etc. This last election should have told you that you work for Middle America- not the GOP. Look at the details to what Americans have benefited so for from ACA: 50% closure of Medicare donut hole, no preexisting clauses for children, Americans up to 26 years of age injoying lower premiums b/c they are still on their parents policy,mandated preventive services to rduce healthcare cost, etc. Instead of wasting our Tax dollars on this futile effort that will hurt the Middle class, be a leader and give Americans the gift of no increase taxes on the Middle class. Let us here how you are working with fellow Democrats to prevent this fiscal cliff from happening, to give hope to Americans now instead of after Christmas.
  • Pam Denny commented on 12/7/2012
    Congressman Forbes, The Health Care Bill is unconstitional. Stay The Course.
  • Matt Pistritto commented on 12/15/2012
    Congressman Forbes please stay true to your beliefs and the beliefs of your supporters and continue to do everything possible to fight this inevitable unconstitutional Obamacare. The few who commented above such as Mr. Duncan were not the constituents that re-elected you. This was a result of your record and the backing of your supporters. He sites the "last election." Let's remember over 59 million people voted to fire our president and try to put a stop to this. I know you won't let us down!!
  • Ronald Thompson commented on 12/21/2012
    Not all are in favor of doing away with the Affordable Care Act. I am not in favor of doing away with it. I am in favor of making changes to help to improve it. I am not in favor of cuts to social security, medicare, or medicaide, nor to the wealthier 2 per cent. I was in DC a couple of weeks ago and met with Sarah Seitz on your staff about asking you to take a stand on these issues. She said we have to wait and see what is on the table. She said you have won awards for standing up for seniors in the past,we are looking at the present not the past. In 2011 with the Alliance for Retired Americans Congressional voting record you had a o per cent pro retiree voting record and a lifetime score of 11 per cent voting in favor of the 10 different categories they rate on for Retirees and seniors.
  • Donna Wike commented on 1/11/2013
    We don't need Obomacare and its hidden taxes. What we need is for states to offer health care prices based on the scale of income households earn.
  • Wendy Comp commented on 1/30/2013
    The increase in insurance premiums is a matter that should be addressed with the greedy insurance companies. The premiums would be kept lower if we had a public option to sign up and pay premiums for Medicare. 'Free Market' right? If they have to lower their piggy level premiums to be competitive, they will lower their premiums!
  • Robyn Jones commented on 2/25/2013
    I can't believe that you are against a plan that could provide people in this state with healthcare that for 3 years is free for Virginia. Over 100 million dollars will be saved for our state and at the hieght of the program will be covered by the Federal Government 95% after that. I have heard all I want to hear about the obstructionism of this state Republicans that care nothing for the condition of those less fortunate that the rest of us. You will be judged by the way you treat the less fortunate among us. Only 1 % of the overall public abuse this system and Medicare and Medicaid fraud is finally being acted upon and prosecuted in this state. Kill jobs? You must not do your research. The hospitals and medical businesses are going to be paid for their services instead of having to pass these charges onto the rest of us. Your stand against this is very narrow minded and not even trying to see if this works is very blind. How are you going to know if something work so until you try it? The system we work from now sure isn't. Every one at the very least needs medical treatment. Other countries provide it, why not us? People who are against this are probably people that call themselves Christians. Just remember it has been said that what you do to the least of us, you do to him. Think about it. Don't be a hypocrite.
  • Elizabeth Cruickshank commented on 3/6/2013
    I work in healthcare and I have seen first-hand how red tape and unnecessary restrictions can affect the quality and availability of care for those most in need. That being said, the Affordable Care Act is anything but affordable. If you doubt this, look at the exorbitant deductibles and co-pays that are associated with the bill across multiple states. Furthermore, every state is struggling to rise above the high costs of a weak economy, including unemployment, falling property values, etc., and increasing the Medicaid rolls by raising the upper income limit will only put an additional burden on states and reduce the quality and access to care for those who are already on Medicaid and need the care. I believe Washington is promoting legislation through fear - a powerful and frequently abused tool. Americans are not as stupid as our government would like to believe, and if voters have all the facts, I believe people will make the right choices. I want to know, short of replacing every senator and representative, what we, as informed citizens, can do to fix this problem.
  • Jay Luster commented on 3/15/2013
    Dear Congressman Forbes, Next June when my Cobra runs out I will be forced to buy health insurance. Without the PPACA I will have no access to private insurance for me and my wife because of pre-existing conditions. While I realize that there is nothing in the law that will prevent the insurance companies from gouging me on the price, your approach takes away any ability I would have to buy health insurance and would sentence my wife to crippling pain, eventual confinement to a wheelchair, and death. Just want to say thanks for your support...
  • Glennetta White commented on 3/23/2013
    I think you are wasting our tax payer money trying to appeal the Law of the Land, it is signed into law. Not only it a law the Supreme Court found that is constitutional , so why try to appeal it for the 39 times. This is truly a waste of time and congress has a lot issues to resolve, like the sequester cuts.
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