Senator Johnny Isakson responds to health care inquiry

I emailed Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson about the health care debate, and below is his email response.

"On February 2, 2011, I voted for an amendment to repeal the terribly flawed health care law that was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President last year. Unfortunately, the amendment failed by a vote of 47 to 51. The measure to repeal the law was offered by Republican Leader Senator Mitch McConnell, R-KY, as an amendment to the FAA Re-authorization Bill, and it needed 60 votes to pass. My Republican colleagues and I will continue to offer such amendments, as well as work to strike specific provisions of the law, such as the individual mandate. I am a co-sponsor of S.192, a bill that would effectively repeal the health care reform law. 

"During the same debate, I also voted to repeal a section of the health care law that would have imposed an overly burdensome new tax reporting requirement on small businesses. The amendment to repeal the 1099 reporting requirement passed 81-17. Specifically, Section 9006 of the new health care law requires business owners to submit a separate 1099 reporting form for every single business transaction that totals more than $600 in a given year. As a result, small business owners would have had to complete and submit 1099 forms for basic business expenses, including phone and internet service, shipping costs, and office supplies.

"In my judgment, the Affordable Care Act has little or nothing to do with affordable care. Since its passage, we have seen increase after increase in costs – both in terms of insurance premiums as well as the application of the law to the practice of medicine. This law is not about affordable care. It is about rising health care costs. The fact that over 70 waivers have been issued by Health and Human Services is proof that the bill is flawed and proof that we will continue to see exemptions in order to make a bill that is designed to fail, work. 

Thank you again for contacting me.  Please visit my webpage at http://isakson.senate.gov/ for more information on the issues important to you and to sign up for my e-newsletter.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson"

©2011 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.