{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-seeks-repeal-of-obamacare-individual-mandate-in-tax-reform-bill", "King Seeks Repeal of ObamaCare Individual Mandate in Tax Reform Bill", "2017-12-11", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Steve King", "K000362", "steveking.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Steve King announces that he has signed a letter to House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady and to Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch requesting that the Conference Committee on HR 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, preserve Senate passed language that repeals ObamaCare\u2019s Individual Mandate. This controversial mandate imposes punitive fines on individuals who choose not to purchase health insurance.\nThe text of the letter, and complete list of cosigners, follows:\nDear Chairman Brady and Chairman Hatch:\nAs you begin conference proceedings related to H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we respectfully request that the final package include a repeal of the Obamacare individual mandate.\u00a0 Including language to repeal this harmful policy will return personal decisions about health care choices to patients, fulfilling a key promise we have made to the American people.\nUntil enactment of Obamacare, the federal government had never required individuals, as a condition of lawful residence in the United States, to purchase a product from a private company.\u00a0 Yet the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that the individual mandate will force approximately 13 million people, who would not voluntarily choose to purchase Obamacare-compliant plans without the threat of federal penalties, to do so.\u00a0 This raises an important question: If Obamacare provides Americans with great health insurance, why would they have to be forced to purchase it?\nObamacare\u2019s coercive individual mandate represents perhaps the worst example of the federal government violating individual freedom and liberty \u2013 which is why we have repeatedly promised to repeal it.\u00a0 Repeal of the individual mandate was included in the Senate-passed bill and had earned robust support in the House.\u00a0 We urge you to help fulfill our promise to the American people and include this language in a final conference package.\nSincerely,\n1. Mark Walker\n2. Sam Johnson\n3. Jeb Hensarling\n4. Rob Woodall\n5. Bill Flores\n6. Rick Allen\n7. Brian Babin\n8. Jim Banks\n9. Andy Barr\n10. Joe Barton\n11. Andy Biggs\n12. Marsha Blackburn\n13. Ted Budd\n14. Bradley Byrne\n15. Earl L. Buddy Carter\n16. Steve Chabot\n17. Liz Cheney\n18. Tom Cole\n19. Kevin Cramer\n20. Warren Davidson\n21. Ron DeSantis\n22. Scott DesJarlais\n23. Jeff Duncan\n24. Trent Franks\n25. Matt Gaetz\n26. Mike Gallagher\n27. Bob Gibbs\n28. Bob Goodlatte\n29. Paul Gosar\n30. Tom Graves\n31. Garrett Graves\n32. Andy Harris\n33. Vicky Hartzler\n34. Jody Hice\n35. French Hill\n36. Richard Hudson\n37. Trent Kelly\n38. Steve King\n39. Raul Labrador\n40. Darin LaHood\n41. Doug LaMalfa\n42. Doug Lamborn\n43. Barry Loudermilk\n44. Tom McClintock\n45. Martha McSally\n46. Luke Messer\n47. Alex Mooney\n48. Dan Newhouse\n49. Ralph Norman\n50. Gary Palmer\n51. Scott Perry\n52. Robert Pittenger\n53. Ted Poe\n54. John Ratcliffe\n55. Phil Roe\n56. Todd Rokita\n57. Francis Rooney\n58. Dennis Ross\n59. Keith Rothfus\n60. David Rouzer\n61. Austin Scott\n62. Jason Smith\n63. Lamar Smith\n64. Tim Walberg\n65. Randy Weber\n66. Brad Wenstrup\n67. Bruce Westerman\n68. Roger Williams\n69. Joe Wilson\n70. Ted Yoho\nBackground:\nObamaCare\u2019s Individual Mandate penalty payments, a tax as designated by United States Supreme Court Justice John Roberts, falls disproportionately on low-Income earners. In Iowa, 82% of those paying the ObamaCare Individual Mandate tax make less than $50,000/yr. It has been projected that repealing the Individual Mandate would save more than $300 billion over ten years.\nOn November 16, Congressman King expressed his belief that the tax reform package that passed the House of Representatives would be improved with the inclusion of the Senate\u2019s provision repealing the ObamaCare Individual mandate. King\u2019s earlier comments may be viewed here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-seeks-repeal-of-obamacare-individual-mandate-in-tax-reform-bill"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4023298863321543, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}