This key vote alert was sent to all members of the U.S. House of Representatives in support of the American Health Care Act on Wednesday, May 3, 2017.
May 3, 2017
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce supports the American Health Care Act (AHCA). The Chamber will consider including votes on, or in relation to, this bill—including votes on the Rule—in our annual How They Votedscorecard. Passage of this bill is important on its merits. Beyond the essential policy changes that this bill would advance, this bill must also be passed to enable Congress to move on to address other Chamber priorities, including tax reform, infrastructure legislation, and other important issues.
Critically important provisions in this bill would repeal a substantial number of the most harmful provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The bill would repeal the health insurance tax, the medical device tax, and the tax on prescription medications. The bill also would repeal restrictions on the use of, and limitations on contributions to, health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts and the penalties associated with the employer mandate.
Just as importantly, the AHCA would preserve the longstanding tax treatment of employer sponsored coverage through which 177 million individuals receive their health care coverage. The Chamber is also pleased that the bill would delay the 40 percent “Cadillac” tax; the Chamber looks forward to working with Congress to eventually repeal this tax completely. The tax relief provided by this legislation is critical to economic growth.
Due to the tremendous harm that these particular taxes will cause employers and employees alike, the Chamber urges you to support this bill and repeal the provisions in the ACA that are threatening to undermine the employer-sponsored health care system. While the Chamber recognizes that further improvements need to be made, passage of this legislation is absolutely critical to restore choice, flexibility, and innovation to America’s health care markets.
The Chamber looks forward to working with Congress, the Administration, and other interested parties to advance these and other much-needed health care reform priorities.
