(Hour 3a) First District Congressman Frank Guinta (R-Manchester) discusses Town Hall meetings, his bill repealing the Obamacare Cadillac Tax and his bill restoring the funding President Obama removed from the Veterans Choice Card program.
For more information about Congressman Guinta’s proposals, scroll below the SoundCloud player. Thank you!
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February 11, 2015
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Danielle Adams (202) 225-5456
GUINTA INTRODUCES BILL TO PROTECT MIDDLE CLASS WORKERS FROM 40% TAX INCREASE ON HEALTH BENEFITS
WASHINGTON. D.C. – Today, Congressman Guinta introduced H.R. 879 – Ax the Tax on Middle Class Americans’ Health Plans Act – to repeal a harmful provision of the President’s healthcare law, known as a ‘Cadillac tax,’ which will inflict a 40% tax on middle class Americans’ health plans. The Cadillac tax will officially go into effect in 2018; however, employers, labor unions, and municipalities are anticipating this massive tax by looking at increasing deductibles, reducing benefits and shifting costs to consumers and property tax payers alike.
“I’ve heard from countless municipalities back home who are absolutely terrified of this unavoidable and impending tax hike. Even worse, the non-partisan think tank American Health Policy Institute found that over 12 million middle-class American workers would see an average increase of $1,050 in higher payroll and income taxes per year. My legislation will protect workers from facing this devastating tax increase, employers from reducing workers’ benefits and municipal taxpayers who – if enacted – would experience skyrocketing property taxes. The repeal of this onerous tax has received widespread support from republicans, democrats, national unions and more.”
The Ax the Tax on Middle Class Americans’ Health Plans Act is the first piece of stand-alone legislation to repeal the Cadillac Tax in the House of Representatives.
To read the text of Ax the Tax on Middle Class Americans’ Health Plans Act, please click here.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 12, 2015
PRESS CONTACT:
Rosie Hilmer (Kuster) 202-225-5206
Danielle Adams (Guinta), 202-225-5456
Kuster, Guinta Introduce Legislation to Stop Cuts to Veterans Choice Card Program
Washington, DC – This morning, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Congressman Frank Guinta (NH-01) joined together to introduce legislation that would protect the Veterans Choice Card program in New Hampshire. This program was passed into law as part of last year’sbipartisan Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act, legislation enacted to overhaul the faulty management system at the VA and help ensure every veteran can access timely, high quality medical care.
The Veterans Choice Card program allows veterans to receive medical care at private facilities if long wait times or location make it difficult for veterans to access care at the VA. This card is particularly crucial for states like New Hampshire, which do not have full-service VA hospital. With this card, many New Hampshire veterans will no longer be required to travel extremely long distances, sometimes up to 100 miles, to access the care they need. Under current law, the Veterans Choice Card program is authorized for three years or until its $10 billion dollar initial funding allocation is exhausted; however, the President’s fiscal year 2016 budget proposes reallocation of funds from the program which could greatly hinder the ability of New Hampshire veterans to take advantage of the card and access medical services at private facilities. The legislation introduced today by Reps. Kuster and Guinta would protect the Veterans Choice Card program by making the program permanent for veterans in states like New Hampshire without a full-service VA hospital.
“As a member of the House Veteran’s Affairs Committee, I fought for the Veterans Choice card to be included in last year’s VA reform legislation, and I know what a difference this program will make to the lives of veterans all across the Granite State,” said Congresswoman Annie Kuster, who helped lead the investigation into mismanagement at the VA and who now currently serves as Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. “In states like New Hampshire without full-service VA medical centers, many of our veterans have been forced to travel long distances to receive care. This card will change that, and I’m very disappointed the President has proposed changes to the program before the implementation process has even gotten underway. We must protect our veterans’ right to receive care they need and deserve, and I’m proud to introduce this legislation that will protect the Veterans Choice Card program in New Hampshire from harmful cuts.”
“Our state has one of the highest veteran populations per capita in the nation; and, it gives me great honor to stand side-by-side with Rep. Kuster in introducing a common-sense bipartisan and bicameral piece of legislation to finally make permanent such a vital program to ensure our state’s heroes get the medical care and resources they deserve,” said Congressman Frank Guinta.
The legislation Congresswoman Kuster and Congressman Guinta introduced today will make the Veterans Choice Card program permanent in states without full-service VA centers, protecting our veterans’ ability to access quality care in a timely manner. The bill is a bicameral, bipartisan effort to ensure that this program is fully implemented as intended by Congress. Companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
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