By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R) from Alabama joined Sen. Ted Cruz (R) as a cosponsor of the Defund Obamacare Act of 2013.
Senator Sessions said, “I have supported and will continue to support efforts to repeal, delay, defund, and block this unaffordable and invasive law. Obamacare will not only make health care less affordable but will reduce the quality of health care and patient choice, increase unemployment, and surge the nation’s debt. The Defund Obamacare Act is the latest effort to protect American families from this unwise government takeover.”
Sen. Ted Cruz is the sponsor of the Defund Obamacare Act of 2013. The bill would deny Obamacare federal funding for any implementation or enforcement activities, end any entitlements or benefits already put in place by Obamacare, and rescind any unspent dollars that have already been appropriated.
Senator Cruz said last week, “Last night, news reports surfaced that the House of Representatives might vote to ‘defund Obamacare’ in a way that easily allows Senate Democrats to keep funding Obamacare. If House Republicans go along with this strategy, they will be complicit in the disaster that is Obamacare.”
Sen. Cruz said, “The American people are not surprised that politicians in Washington–of both parties–are afraid to take a stand. But another symbolic vote against Obamacare is meaningless. Obamacare is the biggest job killer in America, and people are hurting. House Republicans should pass a continuing resolution that funds government in its entirety–except Obamacare–and that explicitly prohibits spending any federal money, mandatory or discretionary, on Obamacare. They should not use any procedural chicanery to enable Harry Reid to circumvent that vote.”
Sen. Cruz said, “If you oppose Obamacare, don’t fund Obamacare. Our elected leaders should listen to the American people.”
Americans will be able to sign up for Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) compliant health insurance policies beginning on October 15th and will go into effect on January 1, 2014. Many businesses and unions are already complaining about the cost of providing compliant policies.
Polls show that most Americans oppose Obamacare and the controversial 2010 legislation has become less popular as more parts of the law are implemented.
Some conservatives led by Sen. Cruz, want to shut down the government to prevent implementation of the unpopular legislation. Other Republicans argue that such a strategy will backfire on Republicans. Democrats however continue to defend the Patient Protection and Affordable Act and argue that the legislation will ultimately help more Americans than it hurts.
Sen. Sessions served as Alabama Attorney General and as a U.S. Attorney before he was elected to the U.S. Senate, replacing the retiring Sen. Howell Heflin (D).
