Striking Down "Obamacare"

(Washington, D.C.)  Congressman Paul Broun, M.D. (GA-10) released a statement after filing an amicus brief in conjunction with the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) which argued that the Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit "was correct in striking down the individual mandate portion of Obamacare, but that it also should have declared the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) unconstitutional."

“The brief we filed lays out a clear argument that if the Supreme Court finds the individual mandate in Obamacare unconstitutional, it therefore must strike down the entire bill,” said Congressman Broun.  “One simply cannot function without the other, since the entire health care law is funded primarily through the mandate, which forces every American to purchase health insurance."

“Nearly 120 Members of Congress and an overwhelming majority of Americans have rejected Obamacare, and I urge the High Court to declare the entire health care law invalid.  Congress can then repeal the bill and start over with true reform that makes health care more accessible and affordable for all individuals nationwide.”

Jobs Report

The Department of Labor released their December jobs report showing the national unemployment rate to be 8.5%, and a net total of 200,000 jobs created.  "When President Barack Obama took office in January of 2009, the national unemployment rate was under 7.8%, but the number has now exceeded 8% for 35 consecutive months."

“While the numbers released today are encouraging, Washington still has a lot of work to do and a long way to go before we can say that our economy has fully recovered.  Congress must continue to help small businesses grow and expand, and we can do this by providing certainty in the marketplace.  If we continue to pass short-term patchwork bills like the Payroll Tax Deal, our small businesses will be left wondering whether or not they can afford to hire more people, or if they can keep the employees they already have."

“Instead of petitioning Congress for yet another increase in spending and the debt ceiling, I urge President Obama to take a look at some of the bills we have passed that would truly create jobs and rein in spending.   A great start would be by making a positive decision on the Keystone Pipeline XL project that would almost immediately create 20,000 new jobs in America.  Only through continuous and sustained pro-growth policies will we see certainty in our markets, and a return to a steady, unwavering American economy,” concludes congressman Broun.