Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Isakson Votes to Repeal Terribly Flawed Health Care Law
'The Affordable Care Act Has Little or Nothing to Do With Affordable Care'

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today voted to repeal the terribly flawed health care law that was passed by Congress and signed by the President last year. The amendment failed by a vote of 47 to 51. The measure to repeal the law was offered by Republican Leader Senator Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, as an amendment to the FAA Reauthorization bill and it needed 60 votes to pass.

Isakson also voted today to repeal a section of the health care law that would have imposed an overly burdensome new tax reporting burden on small businesses. The amendment to repeal the 1099 reporting requirement passed 81-17. Specifically, Section 9006 of the new health care law requires business owners to submit a separate 1099 reporting form for every single business-to-business transaction that totals more than $600 in a given year. As a result, small business owners would have had to complete and submit 1099 forms for basic businesses expenses, including phone and internet service, shipping costs and office supplies.

"The Affordable Care Act has little or nothing to do with affordable care in my judgment. Since its passage, we have seen increase after increase in costs—both in terms of insurance premiums as well as the application of the law to the practice of medicine. It is not about affordable care. It is about care going up in cost," said Isakson. "The the fact that over 70 waivers have been issued by Health and Human Services is proof that the bill is flawed and proof that we will continue to see exemptions in order to make a bill that is designed to fail, work. It should be repealed."

Isakson has persistently opposed the health care law because he believes it will raise taxes, raise premiums, cut benefits for seniors and place a massive unfunded mandate on the states. Earlier this week, Isakson praised a ruling by U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson that the health care law is unconstitutional because Congress has no right to require Americans to purchase a product. In November, Isakson joined several of his Republican colleagues in co-signing an amicus brief supporting the court challenge that is focused on the constitutional concerns over the individual mandate included in the health care law

Isakson also is a co-sponsor of S.192, a separate bill to repeal the entire health care law. The U.S. House of Representatives voted to repeal the law in January 2011.