Vote 'YES' on H. Res. 371! 

February 9, 2011

U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC  20515

Dear Representative,

On behalf of the more than one million members and supporters of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW), I urge you to support H.R. 371, the Health Care Choice Act of 2011.  This bill, sponsored by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), would repeal the individual mandate and allow consumers to shop for health insurance across state lines. 

H.R. 371 repeals title I of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and related language in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 which mandates all individuals to obtain health coverage by 2014.  The bill also amends the Public Health Service Act to provide for cooperative governing of individual health insurance coverage offered in interstate commerce.

Rep. Blackburn’s legislation will foster competition in a nationwide health insurance marketplace, driving down costs and making it easier for consumers to obtain coverage, without a federal mandate.  Americans should have the ability to access and own the health insurance that best meets their individual needs, without government interference. 

There are many problems with the nation’s current healthcare system that can be rectified through medical liability reform, pooling health insurance, offering tax incentives, allowing states to customize programs, and reforming insurance regulations.  The ongoing government takeover of healthcare will not solve America’s healthcare problems, and it will ruin the nation’s economic health.  While H.R. 371 is an important bill, it should not impede Congress’s or the courts’ ability to fully repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.

I strongly urge you to support this commonsense solution to promote competition in the health insurance marketplace and ultimately help millions of uninsured Americans gain access to affordable health coverage.  All votes on H.R. 371 will be among those considered in CCAGW’s 2011 Congressional Ratings.

Sincerely,

Thomas Schatz,
President