As the Senate considers H.R. 6157, the Department of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2019, NTU urges all Senators to support initiatives that reduce expenditures, eliminate waste, increase efficiency, reduce regulatory burdens, and otherwise uphold free market principles.
To that end, NTU urges all Senators to vote “YES” on the following amendments:
Amd. 3829, Enzi (R-WY): This amendment would preserve fiscal discipline by maintaining the requirement that future year spending increases be offset, not hidden in the baseline via scoring gimmicks. This is an important check on increased mandatory spending. As our mandatory spending crisis mounts, it is essential that Congress take every opportunity to increase fiscal accountability.
Amd. 3833, Flake (R-AZ), McCain (R-AZ), Ernst (R-IA): This amendment would bring funding for the troubled Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) in line with the Navy’s FY19 request of one new ship. The LCS has been plagued by cost overruns, delays, cracked hulls, aggressive corrosion, mechanical problems, and inaccurate weapons systems. The Pentagon has admitted the LCS is “not expected to be survivable” in combat situations and is winding down the program in favor of a new frigate.
Amd. 3876, Warner (D-VA), Young (R-IN), Bennet (D-CO), Sasse (R-NE), Hoeven (R-ND), King (I-ME): This bipartisan amendment would establish a Portable Benefits for Independent Workers Pilot Program. NTU urges caution when considering the initiation of a new program, however, this program has merit in that it could help create more flexible employment arrangements, increase patient choice, and lower costs for consumers. Better addressing the role of employer provided health insurance has been a long-time obstacle to achieving sustainable, meaningful health care reform.
Amd. 3722, Lankford (R-OK): This amendment would increase transparency by requiring the DOD to post awards of grants online in a user-friendly format.
Amd. 3729, Kennedy (R-LA): This amendment would reduce spending in the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education sections of the underlying “minibus” by one percent. With trillion dollar deficits once again on the horizon, and record debt, it is important that legislators take every opportunity now to demonstrate both the willingness and ability to rein in spending.
In addition, NTU urges all Senators to vote “NO” on the following amendments:
Amd. 3787, Durbin (D-IL): This amendment would require biopharmaceutical companies to include list prices in direct to consumer advertising. Not only would this possibly violate the First Amendment and misuse Food and Drug Administration resources, this won’t help better inform customers who are better served by receiving pricing information in context with their health providers, health insurers, unique financial situations, and availability of cost-saving resources.
Amd. 3818, Klobuchar (D-MN): This amendment would permit prescription drug reimportation, which poses a significant threat to medical innovation, along with quality care and cures Americans depend on. It is likely that doing so could actually lead to increased overall spending on health care. This worn-out policy proposal is a short-sighted, risky fix to a complex problem that could precipitate of a host of unintended consequences.
Amd. 3746, Johnson (R-WI): This amendment would increase funding for an additional LCS. Again, the underlying bill already provides funding for more ships than requested for FY19. Using taxpayer funds to prop up a favored industry or company impedes the Pentagon’s ability to execute national security objectives and pursue efficiency.
Roll call votes on these amendment to H.R. 6157 will be included in our annual Rating of Congress.