{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140923132933/http://brooks.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=25&itemid=1085", "Brooks: Broken Promises Hurt Americans", "2013-11-18", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mo Brooks", "B001274", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) addressed the U.S. House early this afternoon to share accounts from families in Alabama\u2019s 5th District impacted by the failed promises of ObamaCare. Congressman Brooks also expressed his support for the American Health Care Reform Act, a positive alternative to ObamaCare, that would give American taxpayers back their right to choose healthcare policies best tailored to their needs.\u00a0\n\n\tCongressman Brooks said, \u201cObamaCare has caused millions of Americans to receive health insurance cancellation letters, leaving them struggling with how to protect their families. Unfortunately, President Obama\u2019s recent apology for his deception has not stopped these cancellation notices, nor slowed skyrocketing health insurance costs for countless families in North Alabama and across the country.\u201d\n\n\tBrooks continued, \u201cThe fact remains, ObamaCare is dysfunctional and threatens American lives, but there is a better way. The American Health Care Reform Act, which I have cosponsored, unleashes the power of free enterprise competition to deliver quality health care at prices Americans can better afford.\u201d\n\n\tAmong other things, theAmerican Health Care Reform Act:\n \n\t\n\t\tFirst, forces lower health care costs by legalizing interstate competition among insurance companies.\n\t\n\t\tSecond, reforms medical malpractice laws so that health insurance is paying for health care, not frivolous lawsuits.\n\t\n\t\tThird, lets Americans deduct health care costs and gives Americans a standard deduction for health insurance costs.\n\t\n\t\tFour, protects Americans with pre-existing conditions by bolstering state-based high risk pools.\n \n\n\t\n\n\t\u00a0 Video of Congressman Brooks\u2019 remarks is available HERE.\n\n\t\n\t\tText of Congressman Brooks\u2019 remarks:\n\t\n\t\t\u201cMr. Speaker, On June 15, 2009, in order to get ObamaCare passed, President Obama promised America, \u2018If you like your health care plan, you\u2019ll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will be able to take it away, no matter what.\u2019\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t\n\t\t\u201cOn June 28, 2012, in order to get reelection votes, President Obama promised, \u2018If you\u2019re one of the more than 250 million Americans who already have health insurance, you will keep your health insurance \u2013 this law will only make it more secure and more affordable.\u2019\n\t\n\t\t\u201cPresident Obama\u2019s recent apology for his deception has not stopped cancellation of millions... millionsof American health insurance plans nor slowed the ObamaCare-caused skyrocketing health insurance costs.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t\n\t\t\u201cObamaCare forces families to, on the one hand, pay higher ObamaCare health insurance costs and cut spending for food, shelter, and clothing or, on the other hand, go without health insurance and pay tax penalties while risking health care caused bankruptcy.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t\n\t\t\u201cMontana Democrat Senator Max Baucus, the Senate sponsor of ObamaCare, warned us earlier this year that ObamaCare was a train wreck waiting to happen.\u00a0 Well, the verdict is in.\u00a0 ObamaCare is dysfunctional and threatens the lives and finances of millions of real hardworking Americans.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t\n\t\t\u201cMark Templeton of Huntsville, Alabama writes:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t\n\t\t\u2018I just received a notice from [BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama] yesterday indicating my Total Blue plan was no longer available due to the [Affordable Care Act]. My family coverage increased from $450 dollars per month to $1187 per month for similar coverage. They were kind enough to offer the more affordable and considerably worse Silver plan for only $937 dollars per month. I don't qualify for any subsidies, so this will directly hit my household finances.\u00a0 Please make every effort to stop the [Affordable Care Act] from affecting any more Tennessee Valley families and businesses.\u2019\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t\n\t\t\u201cJessica Moore of Ardmore, Alabama writes:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t\n\t\t\u2018I am writing about the not so Affordable Healthcare Act. My health insurance premiums are going up by 118% with Blue Cross Blue Shield. The Healthcare Marketplace will be of no help to me, as I make \"too much\" money. I am a single Iraq veteran. I am my sole income. I am perfectly healthy. The amount in which my premium was raised is how much money I have left in the bank at the end of the month. I do not live beyond my means. I am a faithful taxpayer. The [Affordable Care Act] premium hikes are not affordable to me, nor to many other honest taxpayers. Please help the already \u201ctaxed to the max\u201d middle class on this issue.\u2019\n\t\n\t\t\u201cObamaCare has caused millions of Americans to receive health insurance cancellation letters, leaving them struggling with how to protect their families.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t\n\t\t\u201cThanks to ObamaCare, a year from now, tens of millions more Americans risk losing their health insurance once ObamaCare\u2019s employer mandate kicks in.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t\n\t\t\u201cMr. Speaker, while ObamaCare is dysfunctional and threatens American lives, there is a better way.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t\n\t\t\u201cThe American Health Care Reform Act, which I have cosponsored, unleashes the power of free enterprise competition to deliver quality health care at prices Americans can better afford.\u00a0 Among other things, this bill:\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tFirst, forces lower health care costs by legalizing interstate competition among insurance companies.\n\t\t\n\t\t\tSecond, reforms medical malpractice laws so that health insurance is paying for health care, not frivolous lawsuits.\n\t\t\n\t\t\tThird, lets Americans deduct health care costs and gives Americans a standard deduction for health insurance costs.\n\t\t\n\t\t\tFour, protects Americans with pre-existing conditions by bolstering state-based high risk pools.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t \n\t\n\t\t\"Mr. Speaker, health care decisions should be made by doctors and patients, not Washington bureaucrats.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t\n\t\t\u201cQuite frankly, Big Brother bureaucrats have no business butting in and forcing Americans to buy health insurance Americans cannot afford or do not want.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t\n\t\t\u201cObamaCare denies hardworking American taxpayers their right, yes, their right, to choose the healthcare policy best tailored to their needs.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\t\n\t\t\u201cMr. Speaker, ObamaCare should be repealed and America should debate health care solutions based on truth, not deception.\u201d\n\t\n\t\t###", 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://web.archive.org/web/20140923132933/http://brooks.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=25&itemid=1085"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.238313900306821, "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"}