Conservative House Republicans Working On An Obamacare Alternative
The House Freedom Caucus, that includes some of most conservative members of the lower chamber, are assembling a small group tasked with designing a Barack Obamacare alternative in order to “influence the main House working group,” according to a report Thursday.
Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) is leading the group, which will consist of four or five legislators, and is “open to the possibility” of Sen. Ron Johnson’s idea of extending subsidies if the Supreme Court rules that federal subsidies received by millions of Americans in at least 34, and possibly 37 states that do not have their own exchange are illegal.
Sen. Johnson’s plan calls to extend the subsidies through August 2017, “when he hopes there will be a Republican president, while also repealing the law’s individual and employer mandates,” according to the report.
The House Freedom Caucus debated Mr. Johnson’s plan and its time frame for some 30 mins this week, the publication reported, and at least 1 member, Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), called it “a bad idea” to continue subsidies, particularly for such an extended period.
“There may have to be some transition period,” he said. “But the transition period that people are talking about is more like within the year rather than 3 years.”
Mr. Johnson’s bill has 31 Senate co-sponsors, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. In the House, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) is leading a group that members of the House Freedom Caucus complain is “meeting in secret.”
Since Mr. Ryan’s group is at work formulating a Barack Obamacare replacement, Mr. Fleming said there is “no reason why we should not be working on our ideas.”
“Ultimately whatever they come up with has got to be passed, so they’ll have to run that by us, and if we have better ideas, we can either [exchange] it or we can amend it,” he said, adding that he could only support subsidy extensions if there was a clear expiration date at the end of Y 2016 or 1-H of Y 2017.
The House Freedom Caucus’ mission statement is to give a voice to Americans who feel Washington, DC does not represent them.
“We support open, accountable and limited government, the Constitution and the rule of law, and policies that promote the liberty, safety and prosperity of all Americans,” the caucus’s mission statement reads.
They said at the time that they would invite 30 lawmakers to join, noting that if they have at least 29 members it would position them “to block Republican legislation that members don’t support.”
Stay tuned…
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Paul Ebeling
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