WASHINGTON DC - Republicans in the U.S. House passed a budget bill Wednesday that would set into motion a repeal of the controversial Affordable Health Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
While 17 Republicans opposed the measure, all Illinois' Republican caucus voted for it, while the state's Democrat bloc against it. The bill will now progress to the U.S. Senate, where Republicans have a slight majority.
“One of Congress’ basic duties is to put forth and pass a framework for allocating taxpayer dollars. Today’s budget proposals that focus on American prosperity and building opportunity for everyone provide a stark contrast to President Obama’s plan that never balances and perpetuates Washington’s overzealous spending culture," Congressman Randy Hultgren said Wednesday night.
s"H. Con Res. 27 provides the starting point to what I hope will be serious negotiations between Congress and the Administration to get our spending under control, start to pay down our growing national debt, provide for our national defense, and make good on our commitments. Congress has been clear that a serious budget proposal would respect the simple idea all family budgets adhere to: you can't spend more than you take in. Our prosperity and that of the next generation relies on that principle. These proposals are the first step toward that goal.”
The 228-119 vote included supporters Mike Bost, Rodney Davis, Bob Dold, Randy Hultgren, Adam Kinzinger, Peter Roskam, Aaron Schock and John Shimkus. Opponents from Illinois included Cheri Bustos, Danny Davis, Tammy Duckworth, Bill Foster, Luis Gutierrez, Robin Kelly, Bill Lipinski, Mike Quigley, Bobby Rush and Jan Schakowsky.
“Our nation faces some of the most complex threats and challenges to national security in recent history, from expansionist Russia invading Ukraine to the growth of Islamic terrorism," Congressman Adam Kinzinger said in a statement.
"We must be prepared to ensure the safety and security of our troops, our homeland, and our interests abroad. The President’s Budget, according to General Martin Dempsey, is the ‘jagged-edge’ of what is needed to carry-out our current missions around the world. The budget I supported today provides additional funds and resources above the President’s request for the Department of Defense. As we move forward in the appropriations process, it will be imperative that we continue to focus on protecting our national security, growing the economy and making government more efficient, effective and accountable.”
Thomas.gov reports H. Con. Res. 27 includes the following:
- Establishes the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2016 and sets forth budgetary levels for FY2017-FY2025.
- Recommends levels and amounts for FY2016-FY2025 for federal revenues, new budget authority, budget outlays, deficits (on-budget), debt subject to limit, debt held by the public, and the major functional categories.
- Includes reconciliation instructions directing 13 House authorizing committees to submit deficit reduction legislation to the House Budget Committee no later than July 15, 2015.
- Requires specified House committees to submit to the House Budget Committee findings identifying changes in law to achieve savings through eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse.
- Sets forth budget enforcement procedures addressing the inclusion of macroeconomic effects (dynamic scoring) in cost estimates for legislation, measures affecting Social Security solvency, administrative expenses, transfers to the Highway Trust Fund, advance appropriations, fair value credit estimates, long-term spending, allocations for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism, and legislation that decreases direct spending and authorizes appropriations for the same purpose.
- Establishes reserve funds for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act repeal, health care reform, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), graduate medical education, trade agreements, tax reform, revenue reductions, poverty reduction, transportation, federal retirement reform, defense sequestration replacement, and Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism.
- Provides estimates for the rate of growth in means-tested and non-means tested direct spending and proposes changes to specified programs.
- Sets forth recommended long-term levels for revenues, outlays, deficits, and debt as a percentage of gross domestic product in FY2030, FY2035, and FY2040.
- Includes policy statements on several public policy issues.
