HYDE-SMITH DISAPPOINTED IN SENATE VOTE ALLOWING D.C. TO REVIVE OBAMACARE MANDATE

HYDE-SMITH DISAPPOINTED IN SENATE VOTE ALLOWING D.C. TO REVIVE OBAMACARE MANDATE

Hyde-Smith Cosponsored Cruz Amendment to Block D.C. Healthcare Scheme

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today expressed disappointment in a Senate vote against an amendment she cosponsored to block the District of Columbia from reviving the much-maligned Obamacare individual mandate.

Hyde-Smith was an original cosponsor of an amendment introduced by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to stop federal funds from being used to reinstate Obamacare’s individual health insurance mandate that Congress repealed last year.  The Senate voted 54-44 to table the Cruz amendment to a so-call “minibus” appropriations package (HR.6147).

“It was great day when Congress overturned the ability of the federal government to force Americans to buy health insurance or be fined.  I don’t think any city or state should act on its own reinstate the unconstitutional Obamacare mandate,” Hyde-Smith said.  “I regret that Senate Democrats blocked our effort to ensure the individual mandate remained dead.”

The amendment was introduced to block action taken by the government of the District of Columbia in June to reinstate the individual mandate and the city’s ability to penalize individuals and families who cannot afford or decide not to purchase D.C. mandated insurance plans.

Hyde-Smith has been critical of the Affordable Care Act and its impact on Mississippi, where premiums for Obamacare exchanges soared by 75 percent in its first three years.  Mississippi is one of eight states with only one insurer participating in Obamacare health insurance exchanges this year.  The other states are Alaska; Delaware; Iowa; Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina; and Wyoming.

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