Comstock votes to repeal Obamacare and defund Planned Parenthood

Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (VA-10), who represents part of the Prince William County area, released the following statement Jan. 6, 2016, after the House of Representatives voted on H.R. 3762, the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act, which dismantles key provisions of Obamacare, defunds Planned Parenthood, and redirects that funding to community health centers. 

The legislation passed by a bipartisan vote of 240 to 181:

“Today, for the first time, the House passed a bill that repeals major provisions of Obamacare and puts it on the President’s desk, forcing him to face the failures of Obamacare and paving the way for replacing it with a truly patient-centered healthcare system. 

“Every week I hear from constituents about how Obamacare has increased premiums on families, thrown men, women, and families off existing plans, and hurt many small businesses throughout the 10th Congressional District. 

“This legislation repeals the vast majority of Obamacare, including the automatic enrollment requirement, the individual mandate, the employer mandate, the medical device excise tax, the so-called Cadillac Tax on high cost insurance plans, and the Independent Payment Advisory Board. 

“It also repeals the coverage of tax-related subsidies as well as the Medicaid expansion provisions.  According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, this legislation would also reduce the deficit by $516 billion over the next ten years.

“This legislation also defunds Planned Parenthood and instead promotes greater access to care for women by redirecting those resources to more prevalent community health centers which provide essential and more thorough services to women and families. 

“Congress also is continuing the investigations of Planned Parenthood and the acknowledged unethical and potentially illegal procedures at their facilities.”