One year ago, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590), more commonly known as the health care law. Then, just as now, the health care law not only lacked the broad support of the American people, but was seen by many as an unprecedented Washington takeover of your health care

Buried in the over 2,000 pages that comprised the bill were numerous new regulations, mandates, and government bureaucracies. In addition to creating 159 new boards, commissions, and other government bureaucracies, the health care has imposed onerous government regulations that will negatively affect job creation in America.

For example, one such regulation is the 1099 reporting requirement. This provision requires businesses to issue a Form 1099 tax form for any payments that exceeds $600 annually. Time and time again Texas businessmen asked me to do away with this requirement, as it would impose an unnecessary burden on small businesses, tying up their resources with filling out paperwork that could be used to create jobs by growing their business. The National Federation of Independent Business said it best; this provision will have a “direct negative impact on small businesses.”

This provision, and many others, is causing small businesses and job creation to be hurt by the health care law. Many small businesses are being faced with the difficult reality of either firing current employees or abandoning plans to hire additional employees because of the costs associated with complying with the health care law. At a time when millions of Americans are unemployed, Washington should not be a stumbling block to job creation.

Another major concern with the health care law has been the effect on senior citizens. Seniors already have difficulty obtaining access to health care because of issues associated with Medicare reimbursement levels. The health care law has only worsened the access problem seniors already faced, as it cuts approximately half a trillion dollars in Medicare spending to pay for new spending and not to shore up the solvency of Medicare. Some Medicare providers have indicated that they are no longer accepting Medicare patients, and many more not accepting any new Medicare patients. This situation underscores that just because Americans have health care coverage, it does not equal health care access. The health care law also hurts American families’ budgets. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that health insurance premiums will rise by $2,100 per American family compared to what it would have cost in 2016 without passage of the health care law. In these difficult economic times American families were already struggling to pay their health care premiums, mortgages, and other expenses. Why would Washington pass a law that hurts their family budgets?

One of the reasons I came to Congress is to repeal and replace the health care law with common sense solutions, like meaningful medical liability reform and letting Americans purchase health care coverage across state lines. In February, the House of Representatives considered legislation (H.R. 2) to repeal the health care law. I strongly supported this legislation when it passed the House, but it has failed to advance in the United States Senate where Democrats are the majority party. According to a recent Rasmussen poll, 53% of likely voters favor repealing the health care law. Despite this fact, the Senate and the White House have so far refused to act. I will continue to be your voice in Congress and steadfast in my support of efforts to repeal and replace the health care law.

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