CO-SPONSORSHIP of the Defund Obamacare Act of 2013 (Senate)

CO-SPONSORSHIP of the Defund Obamacare Act of 2013 (Senate)

The Defund Obamacare Act of 2013 (S. 1292), introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), would defund Obamacare to prevent taxpayer dollars from being used to implement the law. Specifically, the Defund Obamacare Act of 2013 deauthorizes any Obamacare appropriations and rescinds prior appropriations that would implement any provision under Obamacare, while also halting any entitlements created by the law.

The Constitution grants Congress, not the executive branch, the "power of the purse." Thus, Congress has the authority to defund Obamacare in its entirety, which Sen. Cruz's bill accomplishes. The Heritage Foundation explains total defunding of Obamacare is the most viable solution to preventing any further damage:

The only way for Congress to stop the new entitlements and executive branch spending abuses is to defund all Obamacare implementation efforts across the federal government.

Full defunding of Obamacare would halt the law's new entitlements before they start-and prevent HHS from raiding other parts of the departmental budget to promote Obamacare.

Defunding Obamacare would also prevent the application of the law's new regulations and 18 separate tax increases, including the tax for not complying with the individual mandate.

The need for congressional action is urgent. On January 1, 2014—three months into the next fiscal year—Obamacare's new entitlements are scheduled to take effect. The taxpayers will spend $48 billion in 2014—and nearly $1.8 trillion through 2023—on these new entitlement programs. Additionally, health insurance premiums are skyrocketing across America and employers are shedding jobs and hours. The majority of American people oppose Obamacare. Even many on the Left—including some powerful unions who were once the law's strongest supporters—have conceded that it is a train wreck.

Senators should co-sponsor the Defund Obamacare Act AND tie it to a "must-pass" bill, such as the year-end funding bill. If Congress chooses not to fund Obamacare activities for the upcoming fiscal year, the Obama Administration cannot act to implement the law. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and fourteen of his Senate colleagues have said they "will not support any continuing resolution or appropriations legislation that funds further implementation or enforcement of Obamacare." Congress can and should act to defund all of Obamacare now.

Heritage Action supports the Defund Obamacare Act (S. 1292) and will include CO-SPONSORHIP of this legislation on our legislative scorecard.

Related:

Heritage Action Scorecard
Congress Must Defund Obamacare in Its Entirety