H.R. 3400: GOP Sponsored Health Care Bill

Empowering Patients First Act – Republican Bill Held Up in 8 Committees

The Democrats’ mantric claim that the Republicans have not offered any solutions of their own is pure poppycock.  The Democrat-sponsored  "America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009" (H.R. 3200) is not the only proposed health care bill submitted for Congressional consideration, but the major media networks are not giving equal air time to the Republican-sponsored alternative. Speaker Pelosi has repeatedly stated that Democrats would consider reasonable alternatives if offered by the other side, all the while not acknowledging the existence of  H.R. 3400, "The Empowering Patients First Act", arguably the better-written and more cost-effective bill of the two. Clearly Pelosi and her gaggle of radical left-wing sycophants do not want the American people to know that the Republican bill exists and that’s why they have it safely buried under the weight of not one, but eight different committees. See the full text of the bill here: H. R. 3400

Fooled one too many times, the American people are now attempting to read legislation as it comes to vote, since the elected elite no longer find it necessary to read the legislation that they vote on. The Democrat bill H. R. 3200, filled with over a thousand pages of complex lawyer speak, is riddled with loopholes that in the end would lead the American people down a road to an expensive, government-run healthcare system, many say will deliver the coup de grace that will topple our nation into complete socialism.  Had the American public not been previously alerted and outraged by the recent "Porkulus" and "Cap and Tax" bills, also unread and rushed through the voting process, the controlling Democrats, at the charge of Nancy Pelosi, would have most certainly done the same thing with health care. 

H.R. 3200: Has Few Liberal Cosponsors

H.R. 3200, which the radical Democrats tell us is a health care moral obligation, has found only eight representatives to cosponsor their bill, while the Republican’s bill, H.R. 3400, has twenty-eight. Take a look at the names and the districts represented by the sponsor and eight cosponsors and decide if this is a representation of the American people as a whole and deserves unquestioned support. First, it’s nearly impossible to get the names of those responsible for crafting the bill, although the communist radical Jeff Jones, a co-founder of the Weather Underground and now a major player in the Apollo Alliance, has surfaced as one of the primary players. The congressman sponsoring the bill is Rep John Dingell, a doddering Democrat serving the 15th district of Michigan since 1955. There are eight cosponsors of the bill: 1) Rep Robert Andrews, a Democrat serving heavily unionized and mobster infested New Jersey district since 1990, and has run unopposed in the last two elections; 2) Rep Dale Kildee, a Democrat, whose top contributers are a variety of unions, from the 5th district of Michigan, since 1977;  3) Progressive Caucus Member, Rep Carolyn Maloney, a Democrat from the 14th district in New York since 1993. This district voted over 70% for the Democrat candidate for President in the last three elections and is considered a highly radicalized electorate; 4) Bay Area Progressive Caucus member, Rep George Miller, a Democrat from the 7th district of California, also a consistently wing-nut electorate; 5)  Rep Frank Pallone, a Democrat from the 6th district of New Jersey since 1993; 6) The infamous tax dodger, Rep Charles Rangel, a liberal Democrat from the 15th district of New York since 1971. To get an idea how liberal this district is, the electorate voted 87% or higher for the Democrat candidate for President in the last three elections;  7) Rep Pete Stark, a Democrat of the 13th district of California since 1973. Stark is the first openly atheist member of Congress.  He has won his Rep seat with at least 70% since 1998; The Mini Me of the House, Rep Henry Waxman, a delusional Democrat from California’s 30th district since 1975. The 30th district includes Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, and Malibu, and consistently supports liberal candidates.

H.R. 3200: Rushed Through Committees

There were  five committee referrals assigned to H.R. 3200 for consideration and mark-up. The procedural process, unlike that of H.R. 3400, has been urgent. The five committees assigned H.R. 3200 are: Committee on Energy and Commerce, Committee on Ways and Means, Committee on Education and Labor, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and the House Budget. The House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep Henry Waxman, ordered the bill reported (Amended) by Yeas and Nays: 31-28; the House Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Charles Rangel, reported by Yeas and Nays: 23-18; House Education and Labor Committee, chaired by Rep George Miller, reported Yeas and Nays: 26-22. The breakdown of those voting yea and nay in each of these three committees can be found in pdf format. Read. Remember. Vote.

H.R. 3400: Republican Health Care Alternative

The Republican alternative, H.R. 3400, is sponsored by Rep Tom Price and has 27 sponsors: Rep Robert Aderholt, Rep W. Todd Akin, Rep Rodney Alexander, Rep Michele Bachmann, Rep J. Gresham Barrett, Rep Roscoe Bartlett, Rep Dan Burton, Rep Bill Cassidy, Rep Mike Coffman, Rep John Culberson, Rep Mary Fallin, Rep John Fleming, Rep Trent Franks, Rep Elton Gallegly, Rep Phil Gingrey, Rep Jim Jordan, Rep Doug Lamborn, Rep John Linder, Rep Cynthia Lummis, Rep Kenny Marchant, Rep Jeff Miller, Rep Joseph Pitts, Rep David Roe, Rep Thomas Rooney, Rep Steve Scalise, Rep Mark Souder, and Rep Zach Wamp. This bill was introduced on 7/30/2009 and referred to the following eight committees: Committee on Energy and Commerce, Committee on Ways and Means, Committee on Education and Labor, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House Judiciary, House Rules, House Budget, and House Appropriations.

Unlike H.R. 3200, which has well over a thousand pages before mark-up, the Republican bill has only 63, and there are six members of the Republican Doctors Caucus who were either involved directly in the crafting of the bill or have become cosponsors. Those who’ve labored endless hours trying to decipher the poorly-crafted, monstrous H.R. 3200 bill will find H.R. 3400 much easier reading.

Substantive Health Care Reform

Representative Linder of Georgia has excellent information comparing and contrasting these two healthcare bills on the linder.house.gov website.  A couple of the key contrasting points to the Republican version would be an inclusion of much-needed Tort reform, which the Democrat version excludes, incentives to insure individuals considered high-risk, extension of income tax deduction on premiums purchased individually, tax credit for low-income Americans, creation of health insurance pooling and removal of state line restrictions for purchasing insurance, incentives for healthy lifestyle choices, certain reform for Medicaid and SCHIP, including the coverage of most needy American children before covering childless adults or illegal immigrants. The Democrat version has loopholes allowing coverage of illegal immigrants, which would have egregious impact on the cost.