01.18.18

Dems ‘Do Not Oppose A Single Thing In This Bill’

Will Democrats Really ‘Filibuster Government Funding And Shut Down Vital Programs For Americans’?

SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “My friends on the other side of the aisle do not oppose a single thing in this bill. They know they can’t possibly explain to our warfighters and veterans, to our seniors, to our opioid treatment centers, to the millions of vulnerable children and their families who depend on S-CHIP for coverage, or to all the Americans who rely on the federal government for critical services like food inspections and Social Security checks. Why they would filibuster government funding and shut down vital programs for Americans because we have not yet agreed on the best way to settle an unrelated issue that we still have at least until March to resolve. Let’s fund the government, extend S-CHIP, and do right by the millions of Americans who elected us to serve them.” (Sen. McConnell, Floor Remarks, 1/18/2018)

  • All Senate Finance Committee Democrats Voted For A 5 Year S-CHIP Extension In October: October 4, 2017: “The Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday approved by voice vote its bipartisan bill to renew funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program. … The bill (S 1827) by Chairman Orrin G. Hatch, R-Utah, and Wyden would renew funding for the program for five years…” (“Panel Backs Bill To Renew Children's Health Insurance Funding,” CQ 10/4/2017)

SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R-UT): “[T]he House legislation addresses some other long-term priorities of mine: The taxes imposed by the so-called Affordable Care Act. Under the bill, the job-killing medical device tax will be delayed for another two years. This foolhardy tax, which has been criticized and condemned by members of both parties, came back into effect at the start of this year.…The House package also extends the delayed impact of the so-called Cadillac Tax, which was another one of Obamacare’s ill-advised shots aimed at the middle class. Again, members from both parties have expressed concern and opposed this tax. Previous delays have received broad, bipartisan support. The House bill would put off the impact of the Cadillac Tax through 2021 … Finally, the bill would pull back the Health Insurance Tax, another reckless tax provision, in 2019. This tax targets small businesses and middle class consumers.” (U.S. Senate Finance Committee, Press Release, 1/17/2018)

Ten Current Senate Democrats Co-Sponsored A Repeal of the Obamacare Cadillac Tax Last Year (S.58)

  1. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
  2. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
  3. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)  
  4. Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN)            
  5. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)   
  6. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)  
  7. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI)         
  8. Sen. Margaret Hassan (D-NH)
  9. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)      
  10. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)

(S.58, “Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 2017,” Introduced 1/9/2017)

SEN. SHERROD BROWN (D-OH): “We can control health costs while standing up for working Americans…. By repealing the Cadillac tax, we can prevent certain employer-provided health plans from being taxed.” (Sen. Brown, Press Release, 9/24/2015)

  • “U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and nine of his Senate colleagues introduced legislation today to improve the health law by repealing the so-called ‘Cadillac tax.’ … U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Bob Casey (D-PA) are cosponsors. “ (Sen. Brown, Press Release, 9/24/2015)
Thirteen Current Senate Democrats Also Co-Sponsored A Repeal Of The Obamacare Cadillac Tax In 2015 (S.2075)
  1. Sen Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
  2. Sen Michael Bennet (D-CO)
  3. Sen Dick Blumenthal (D-CT)
  4. Sen Bob Casey (D-PA)
  5. Sen Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
  6. Sen Pat Leahy (D-VT)
  7. Sen Chris Murphy (D-CT)
  8. Sen Gary Peters (D-MI)
  9. Sen Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
  10. Sen Brian Schatz (D-HI)
  11. Sen Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
  12. Sen Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
  13. Sen Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)

(S.2075, “American Worker Health Care Tax Relief Act of 2015,” Introduced 9/24/2015)

Seven Current Senate Democrats Co-Sponsored A Medical Device Tax Repeal Last Year (S.108)

  1. Sen Dick Blumenthal (D-CT)
  2. Sen Bob Casey (D-PA)
  3. Sen Joe Donnelly (D-IN)
  4. Sen Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
  5. Sen Margaret Hassan (D-NH)
  6. Sen Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
  7. Sen Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)

(S.108, “Medical Device Access And Innovation Protection Act,” Introduced 1/12/2017)

SEN. BOB CASEY (D-PA): “The current tax on medical devices presents significant challenges for businesses in Pennsylvania who innovate and create jobs.” (Sen. Casey, Press Release, 1/13/2015)

  • “U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) along with a bipartisan group of ten Senators, today introduced the Medical Device Access and Innovation Protection Act, S. 149, a bill to repeal the medical device tax that was implemented as a part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).” (Sen. Casey, Press Release, 1/13/2015)

Five Current Senate Democrats Co-Sponsored A Bill For A Health Insurance Tax Moratorium Last Year (S.1978)

  1. Sen Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
  2. Sen Joe Donnelly (D-IN)
  3. Sen Bill Nelson (D-FL)
  4. Sen Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
  5. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT)

(S.1978, “Small Business and Family Health Tax Relief Act of 2017,” Introduced 10/18/2017)

SEN. HEIDI HEITKAMP (D-ND): “Today, I’m … offering a new bill to help reduce the harmful impact of the Health Insurance Tax on families and businesses, which Republicans and Democrats in Congress have voted to delay.” (Sen. Heitkamp, Press Release, 10/18/2017)

  • “U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today introduced legislation to help reduce the burden of the Health Insurance Tax – a fee that directly impacts health care affordability for families and small businesses – by delaying the tax for two years, and making it tax deductible going forward should the fee go into effect.” (Sen. Heitkamp, Press Release, 10/18/2017)

###
SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

Related Issues: Obamacare, Middle Class, Senate Democrats, Health Care, Opioid Abuse