The bill that passed the Senate and House this week raised the debt ceiling and funded the government for another three months, but did nothing to address our nation’s spending problem or grant Americans any relief from the mandates in Obamacare. Because the bill included no spending cuts, or in any way tackled the devastating impact of Obamacare, I voted “no.” Below you can read the statement I released regarding my vote in its entirety.
I also gave numerous interviews to local and national media this week to talk about the government shutdown, my vote, and the urgent need to address the many problems we are seeing with Obamacare. Links to articles, video, and podcasts of these reports can be found under the “In the News” section of this newsletter.
Although many of us predicted the problems that would come with the implementation of Obamacare, the massive failure of the Obamacare rollout and the Healthcare.gov website, has been more extensive and complete than we could have ever imagined. It is not just Republicans that are raising serious concerns. Former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the launch was “excruciatingly embarrassing for the White House” and “bungled badly.”
On the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, we will continue to look into the problems so many Americans are experiencing under the new health care law.
I also want to continue to hear from you. Many of my constituents have told me they are experiencing huge increases in their health insurance premiums as a result of Obamacare. If you are one of the many people feeling the effects of Obamacare, please share your story at ellmers.house.gov.
My colleagues and I on the Republican Study Committee crafted the patient-centered American Health Care Reform Act to repeal and replace Obamacare. A report in Forbes this week explains many of the advantages of the plan.
Thank you for your input on these and other issues. Please answer my survey at the end of this newsletter and continue to stay engaged with me through my website and social media outlets.
My Statement on CR/Debt Limit Vote
The following is the statement I released following my vote on the CR and debt limit Wednesday night:
“Last night, the Senate presented us with a bill to raise the debt limit and fund the government for another three months. While I was ardently against this shutdown from the beginning, the solution presented did nothing to control the reckless spending and inherent dangers of Obamacare.”
“I came to Washington to shutdown Obamacare, not the federal government. We were elected to represent our constituents and they are united in their disgust of Washington’s bloated spending and complete disregard for the problems they face each and every day.”
“Today is a new day. But to the complete embarrassment of the Obama administration, day 17 of the Obamacare exchanges remain a complete failure. I will continue to focus on the other immediate crisis facing all Americans that was unfortunately overlooked during this misguided shutdown. This fight has and will continue to be about Obamacare. It was never ready for primetime. People in my district are looking at their premiums increasing by as much as 669%! We were promised lower costs and more competition. Yet Obamacare is doing the exact opposite. The Obama administration must be held accountable for the waste and complete failure of this rollout and I will continue to do everything in my power to halt this law’s attack on the American people.”
More Than Just Glitches
The failure of the Obamacare launch has been so complete that even the New York Times can’t ignore it, reporting: “The growing national outcry has deeply embarrassed the White House.”
According to a recent CBS News report, there were concerns about the Obamacare website before it even went online, with one expert saying the Obamacare website was ‘Not Even Ready For Beta Testing.”
The Washington Post said, “What the president heralds as his signature accomplishment is not only creating great domestic upheaval as a political and policy failure, it is also an immense American technological failure on display for the world to see.”
The Washington Post also reported that, “The number of visitors to the federal government’s HealthCare.gov web site plummeted 88 percent between Oct. 1 and Oct. 13, according to a new analysis of America’s online use, while less than half of 1 percent of the site’s visitors successfully enrolled for health insurance the first week.”
According to another report from CBS News, the problems with Healthcare.gov go beyond enrollment and include serious concerns about the security of personal information entered by users through the website.
The many reports of widespread, pervasive problems with Healthcare.gov underscore the need for investigation. Next week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a full committee hearing – “PPACA Implementation Failures: Didn’t Know or Didn’t Disclose?” – to examine the health care law’s troubled rollout. You can find additional information about this hearing, including how to watch it via livestream, next week on the Energy & Commerce website, as well as on my Facebook page and Twitter account.
In the News
Above: With Rep. Charlie Dent after appearance on “Lou Dobbs Tonight”
Reform of ObamaCare already necessary?
Lou Dobbs Tonight – Fox Business Network
Rep. Charlie Dent, (R-Pa.), and Rep. Renee Ellmers, (R-NC), on the healthcare law. Click here to watch my interview on Fox Business Network’s “Lou Dobbs Tonight”.
NC House Republicans split on plan to end shutdown
Raleigh News & Observer
Ellmers said she wanted default to be avoided. “However,” she added, “there isn’t really enough in this bill for me to be for. It doesn’t take apart Obamacare in the way I wanted to. I really was looking for a delay in the individual mandate,” Ellmers said. “Conscience protections should be there, too,” she added, referring to language some conservatives seek that would protect physicians who refuse to provide abortions. There also should be “significant spending cuts,” she added.
Ellmers stands fast against deal to reopen government
CBS 5 WRAL
“It just doesn’t have enough in it for me to vote for it, to warrant raising the debt ceiling (and) adding to our nation’s problems with spending,” Ellmers said Wednesday afternoon, several hours before the House’s passage by a 285-144 vote. “The issue here is that we’ve got to be fiscally responsible.” Click here for the full report and video.
Senate, House Pass Deal To Avoid Default, Reopen Gov’t
Time Warner Cable
Before the vote on Wednesday, some House Republicans were already talking about lessons learned. “You know, we’re not going to get 100 percent of what we want, and we understand that, and I think those are some of the things that are being learned now,” said Rep. Renee Ellmers of North Carolina. ” I think that there’s some very valuable lessons for us.”
Cong. Renee Ellmers on Vote to Fund Government
The Bill LuMaye Show – WPTF 680 AM
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers joins Bill to discuss her vote and the end of the government shutdown. Click here to listen to my interview with Bill LuMaye
Military Academy Nomination Deadline
The deadline for my office to receive completed military academy nomination applications is October 31st. Please contact Pat Fitzgerald in my Dunn office at (910) 230-1910 with any questions or concerns regarding the U.S. Military Service Academy application process. Visit this page of my website for more information.