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Washington—This morning, Senate Republicans unveiled a series of changes to the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). Heritage Action released the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Michael A. Needham: "As Heritage Action reviews and evaluates the revised legislation, it is worth reiterating that significant portions of the Republican Party have no intention of actually repealing Obamacare despite campaigning on that objective for years. Over the past two weeks, conservatives have...

The Employee Rights Act (H.R. 2723), introduced by Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), would protect workers from union pressure by putting power in the hands of employees and making union leaders more accountable to their members. As the Heritage Foundation notes, if union bosses "were angels, such changes would be unnecessary" but "since they are not" new protections are necessary.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Reform Act of 2017 (H.R. 2996), introduced by Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), would help reduce poverty and government dependency, increase self-sufficiency, and restore families by strengthening the effective and popular work requirements for all "able-bodied adults without dependents" (ABAWDS) who receive food stamps from SNAP.

The Agency Accountability Act of 2017 (H.R. 850 & S. 299), introduced by Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), would restore Congress' power of the purse found in Article I of the Constitution over unelected federal bureaucrats by requiring "any agency that receives a fee, fine, penalty, or proceeds from a settlement" to "deposit such amount in the general fund of the Treasury."

The Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success (A-PLUS) Act (H.R. 719 & S. 221), introduced by Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) and Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), would allow states to opt out of programs that fall under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)—formerly known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB)—and repurpose those federal funds on a consolidated basis "to advance the educational policy of the State."

The Welfare Reform and Upward Mobility Act (H.R. 2832 / S. 1290), introduced by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), would help reduce poverty and government dependency, increase self-sufficiency, restore families, and strengthen the effective and popular work requirements on means-tested welfare programs that have been gutted by the Obama administration.

Washington—Last night, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced "the effort to repeal and immediately replace the failure of Obamacare will not be successful." If the Senate votes to proceed on the House-passed bill, McConnell said the first amendment would be "what a majority of the Senate has already supported in 2015 and that was vetoed by then-President Obama." Heritage Action released the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Michael...

Washington—Next week, the Senate will take a key procedural vote to begin debate on Republicans' seven-year promise to repeal and replace Obamacare. That vote is widely expected to fail, causing Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) to announce yesterday that he would convene hearings to discuss bipartisan ways to stabilize the individual insurance market. Similar efforts are already underway in the House. Heritage Action released the following statement from Chief Executive Officer...

Washington— Last month, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approved the 21st Century AIRR Act (H.R. 2997). The bill, which could be considered by the full House later this month, would turn the nation's Air Traffic Control system into a standalone government-sanctioned private, non-profit corporation. The Heritage Foundation wrote that the proposal "represents a superior alternative to the status quo" and "a substantial step in the right direction." Heritage...

Washington—Tomorrow, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is expected to offer a motion to proceed to the House-passed American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628). That key procedural vote will allow Senate Republicans to begin debate on their seven-year promise to repeal and replace Obamacare. If the vote fails, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) will move to convene hearings to discuss bipartisan ways to stabilize the individual insurance market. Similar efforts are...

Washington—This afternoon, the Senate voted to begin debate on the House-passed American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628). That successful procedural vote allows Senate Republicans to begin debate on their seven-year promise to repeal and ultimately replace Obamacare. Heritage Action released the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Michael A. Needham: "Obamacare's failures are on full display as premiums skyrocket, networks narrow and insurers disappear. Today's vote gives Senate Republicans the...

Today the House is scheduled to vote on a Joint Resolution (H.J. Res. 111) providing for congressional disapproval of the rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Protection Bureau (CFPB) related to "Arbitration Agreements." Sponsored by Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-Pa.), H.J. Res. 111 would use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn a new rule issued by the CFPB intended to ban financial service providers (banks, credit card companies, small...

Amendments to House Security Minibus (H.R. 3219)

Washington—Today, a group dubbed the "Big Six" released a broad set of principles to provide directions to a long-awaited overhaul of America's cumbersome and inefficient tax code. The group includes Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker Paul D. Ryan, Finance Chairman Orrin G. Hatch, Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn. Heritage Action released the following statement from Chief Executive...

This week, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) introduced the Farewell to Unnecessary Energy Lifelines (Fuel) Act of 2017 (H.R. 3419). This legislation would repeal all Department of Agriculture biofuel and energy subsidy programs contained within Title IX of the 2014 Farm Bill. These programs include: Biobased Markets Program, Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program, Repowering Assistance Program, Biorefinery Program for Advanced Biofuels, Biodiesel Fuel Education Program, Rural Energy for...

Washington—Tonight, the Senate voted against a "skinny repeal" of Obamacare, formally called the Health Care Freedom Act. The bill would have effectively repealed the individual mandate, effectively repealed the employer mandate until 2025, defunded Planned Parenthood for one year, increased health savings account (HSA) contributions, and allowed for additional state flexibility through a slightly reformed Section 1332 waiver. It was drafted to allow House and Senate Republicans to go to...

Washington—This morning, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) announced the Help, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that he chairs would hold a hearing in early September "on the actions Congress should take to stabilize and strengthen [Obamacare's] individual health insurance market, so that Americans will be able to buy insurance at affordable prices in the year 2018." Heritage Action released the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Michael A. Needham: "The Senate's...

Washington—Earlier this year, the House Financial Services Committee released a draft five-year reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). When the draft was released, Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, urged stakeholders to provide "input into protecting the program integrity of the NFIP" that is already $25 billion in debt. The Heritage Foundation explained that while some of the provisions were "particularly flawed"...

Washington—According to reports, congressional leaders are planning to raise the nation's debt ceiling without attaching additional reforms to address the structural nature of America's annual deficit. Heritage Action released the following statement from Vice President Dan Holler: "Our nation's structural deficit is driven by historically irresponsible levels of federal spending. Any increase in our nation's debt ceiling should be paired with serious spending reforms that begin reducing federal spending in...

Background Back in 2013, the Obama administration's Office of Personnel Management (OPM) exempted members of Congress and their staff from the full burden of Obamacare by letting them enroll in the D.C. small business exchange to receive taxpayer subsidized plans, even though a small business was defined as fewer than 50 employees. Now, as millions of Americans continue to watch their health insurance premiums increase, members of Congress and their...