Dear Senator:
On behalf of the 362,000 members of the National Taxpayers Union (NTU), I urge you to vigorously oppose H.R. 3590, the so-called “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.” This 2,000-page monstrosity, drafted in secret by a small cadre of liberal staffers, would dramatically raise taxes and expand the size and scope of a federal government that is already far too large.
For months, the American people have called, written, emailed, faxed, and even voiced in person to you their disapproval of this health care “reform” effort at town hall meetings and rallies. For months, public opinion has coalesced in opposition to this deeply flawed legislation. For months, studies have been conducted showing that this bill’s approach will actually raise health care costs and taxes on Americans earning substantially less than President Obama’s oft-repeated threshold of $250,000 per year.
Despite the massive outpouring of grassroots opposition, Senate Leadership has charged ahead by tinkering with a bill the American people do not want. Contrary to solemn campaign promises of transparent negotiations, this bill has been drafted in such secrecy that even members of Democratic Leadership, including Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), appear to have been in the dark about the details.
After all of the nibbling around the edges, however, the rotten core of this bill remains: huge tax hikes in the middle of a recession in order to hand over an even larger part of America’s health care system to one of the most inefficient and untrustworthy entities in existence: our federal government.
For that and many other reasons, I strongly urge you to oppose H.R. 3590. We undoubtedly face challenges with our health care system, but the best action Congress can take at this time is to fend off the “do-something disease” permeating Washington by heeding the timeless advice: “First, do no harm.”Roll call votes on this legislation, including all cloture and passage votes on amendments as well as the underlying bill, will be among the most heavily weighted of the year in our annual Rating of Congress.
Sincerely,
Andrew Moylan
Director of Government Affairs