Keep Fighting
Dear Friends,
There is no question that Obamacare has not lived up to its promises.
- Thus far, the Obama Administration has granted 2,400 waivers from its provisions.
- Dozens of lawsuits have been filed to protect the religious liberties of private entities who should not have to pay for abortion drugs and other procedures they find morally objectionable.
- The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that 7 million Americans will lose their health care coverage, despite being assured by the President that if they liked their plan, they could keep it.
- The CBO also says that Obamacare will raise taxes by $1.1 trillion and raise non-Medicare federal health care expenditures by $1.6 trillion, while cutting hundreds of billions from Medicare coverage.
- Small business owners are coming forward saying they cannot afford to add additional employees and fall under the employer mandate. They are shifting hours so that they will not have employees who hit the 30 hour per week mark that requires health insurance.
- All this, and nearly all of the major cost generating provisions do not even kick in until next year.
Last week, I partnered with Congressman Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) to write a letter urging Speaker of the House, John Boehner, to allow the House to vote on a key amendment to stop the implementation of ObamaCare. We gathered 28 other representatives to co-sign the letter, but when the time came, we were refused a vote on our amendment. However, because of our persistence - and that of conservatives across America- the Republican leadership promised me they would vote on stopping ObamaCare in the near future.
I discussed the effort to defund ObamaCare with Sean Hannity. Watch it here.
President Obama Closes White House to Tours
In an act of bad political theatre last week, President Obama discontinued self-guided tours of the White House.
The White House claims that this was a direct result of the sequester, but these cuts will likely save very little, if any, money. But do not worry, the White House tour director will continue to make $100,000 a year, the presidential dog-walker will still take home $100,000, and the three calligraphers (yes, you read that right) will pull down a combined amount of $277,000.
President Obama is playing the lowest form of politics by depriving both school children and other citizens the opportunity to learn and be a part of American history. But if you are in town, we are still open for business in the U.S. House – we will continue to provide Capitol tours for visitors.
Accepting Applications for Military Service Academies
I have the privilege of nominating a limited number of young men and women aged 17-23 to attend four of the nation's five service academies. The process requires an applicant to have a history of personal discipline and a commitment to his or her school and community. For more information, please call my Hutchinson office at 620-665-6138 or visit http://huelskamp.house.gov/nominations.
Local Office Hours
Staff will be available to assist constituents in the Manhattan office during the following date and time:
- Wednesday, March 13, 2013; 11AM-3PM
In addition, we have announced other local office hours for staff across the entire First District of Kansas. Please review this page to find out where staff will be to take your questions, provide casework assistance (for agencies and programs like the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the IRS, Medicare, and Social Security), and give an update about legislative action in Washington. Constituents seeking casework services are encouraged to bring any relevant paperwork regarding claims and benefits.
Guests in the Office
This week your D.C. staff and I had the privilege of meeting with Larry Hicks (Geary County Commissioner), the Kansas VFW, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, School Nutrition Association of Kansas, The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Allison Nelson and Kimberly Hoefert (K-State Veterinary Students), the Kansas Society of Radiologic Technologists, the Kansas Broadcasters Association, Salina YMCA, Southwest Passage Initiative for Regional and Interstate Transportation, National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, and the Kansas Funeral Directors. See pictures of guests here.
Internships
Do you know a college-aged adult interested in public policy who is looking to gain real-life experience in a Congressional office? If so, please invite him or her to visit http://huelskamp.house.gov/internships to learn more about the opportunities available in our Washington, D.C. and Kansas offices. The deadline to apply for summer internships is March 15, 2013.
Sincerely,
Tim Huelskamp
Member of Congress